Drucken

[Tabris]

... hier der Bildbeweis

Hmmm... Russen wĂ€ren eine gute ErgĂ€nzung fĂŒr meine Japaner

[Lt. Hazel]

Oh je! Jetzt, wo die Russen da sind, muss ich DW anfangen.

[Chilln]

Ich habe mir die französische Skyfortress besorgt, gibt es von dem Gruppenfoto noch Nahaufnahmen oder einzelne Fotos des bemalten Modells?

[AndréM]

Noch nicht.

[AndréM]

Groundbreaker

Many of the achievements of Markov’s Circle in the few years since the arch-spy’s return from Antarctica have taken the form of breakthroughs in land-based engines and weaponry. The White Army is so central to Tsar Vladimir’s ambitions that the monarch demanded nothing less.

However, ironically, it is the application of naval principles to land-based warfare that resulted in the Circle’s greatest and most spectacular achievement to date – the mighty Kursk Class Land Dreadnought. Markov and his team took over supervision of the project, codenamed ‘Plan Prokhorovka’, developing designs that had been languishing on the drawing-board since 1863.

The result was a revolution in military technology – the world’s first Armoured Dreadnought. Christened the Kursk Class, after the small town situated next to the White Army’s primary proving grounds, the first of these gargantuan machines rolled off the production lines of the great manufactories of Kharkov in 1867.


Russian Coalition - Kursk Class Land Dreadnought

Russian design principles emphasise size and strength, and the Kursk amply fulfils both requirements. In scale, it is staggering, almost half again as large as the Belgorod Land Ship, fully capable of overrunning smaller vehicles. It’s massive hull, like those of all Russian war machines, is clad in layers of ablative plating for extra protection.

The massive machine carries a huge array of firepower commensurate to its size. Its three-turret main battery mounts naval-pattern ordnance whose destructive power rivals even that of the Borodino Class Battleships of the White Navy. This is supplemented by serried broadside gun batteries and a triple array of mighty mobile mortars.

The refinements of Markov’s Circle are unmistakeably in evidence. A Mimic Generator pulses in its heart, special metal alloys are used throughout the machine, and a Sturginium Thermal Pressure Engine provides prodigious power. The Kursk is even capable of a temporary surge to its speed, becoming an even more frightening spectacle to the White Army’s foes.

Most remarkable of all, the Kursk is large enough to incorporate internal ‘hangar’ facilities, accessed via a great armoured ramp. This hangar houses a close escort force of Tikhvin Class Small Tanks, providing additional fire support and assault troops.

The Kursk was first seen in action in the opening stages of the White Army’s assault on the Prussian Empire, when the Ivan Grozny single-handedly crushed the great Prussian fortress at Wehlau, on the road to Konigsberg. This achievement was one of the first to cause the rest of the world to take fearful note of the newfound power of the Tsar’s armies.

A Word from the Designer

When the time came to create the models for the Russian Coalition there were a lot of crazy ideas flying around the office, including mad concepts for special vehicles that would rival centrepiece models like the iconic Metzger. It reached such a state that somewhere in the medley of creative ideas the Russians were given several never-before-seen land models to add to their ranks.

One of the most exciting concepts was the titanic monstrosity known as the Kursk Class Land Dreadnaught. The fabled might of the Russian Coalition’s land forces had to be followed through to its logical conclusion – the biggest trundling armoured battle platform Dystopian Wars has seen to date. While some of the mobile airfields stand taller or bigger, this is the largest ground assault vehicle we’ve yet made.


Kursk Class Land Dreadnought with the Belgorod Class Land Ship

Designing it was both a joy and a nightmare: creating a new unit type is always an interesting exploratory exercise, but with a model this big the geometry alone takes a great deal of time to build.

It was all good and proper extending the chassis out and multiplying the already astounding number of wheels, but the square shape didn’t feel right on such a behemoth. Staggering the outer wheels to give the centre a greater sense of mass did the trick and from there the monster built itself through the tiered platforms and upwards past the three turrets.

Though some land forces in Dystopian Wars have a little more flair, the Kursk Land Dreadnought is a no nonsense killing machine, brutal in its industrial functionality. This creation sports a terrifying armoured ram on the front, ready to smash into the enemy at full force. The rear of the ship houses a small hangar brimming with either armoured or aerial support.

To War!

Since the Kursk Class Land Dreadnought first appeared on the front lines of Eastern Europe, White Army combat doctrine has shifted to fully embrace its devastating potential. Coalition Commanders know well the resource outlay required to bring one of these armoured monstrosities to the field, and as such, strive to make full use of its extensive capabilities. Following is a summary of the forefront tactics emerging from its extensive field testing.


The Kursk Land Dreadnought rolling thunderously, dwarfing its surroundings

Matching the gargantuan bulk and resilience of the Mobile Airfields brought to battle by other nations, and reinforced with the Coalition’s trademark shell of ablative armour, the Kursk is the toughest vehicle yet seen on the world’s battlegrounds. Therefore, it is unsurprising that they have seen immediate use as the front of the White Army wall formation.

Here, the enormous shadow they cast is sufficient to shelter whole Squadrons of middle- or lightweight vehicles from incoming fire. If flanked by one, or even two, Belgorod Land Ships, an enormous footprint is created in which the better part of a battle group can take cover.

As always, the core principle of this tactic is to roll the Kursk, and its supporting elements, straight toward the enemy, endeavouring to close as quickly as possible to bring the Land Dreadnought’s formidable battleship grade firepower to bear on the enemy Armour. To this end, the Dreadnought’s Thermal Pressure Engine is designed to withstand short bursts of extreme stress, allowing the tank to leap forward in sudden surges and keep pace with its faster support.


A Prussian Empire A9-V \'Sturmpanzer\' comes up against the Iron Giant

The Kursk is also fitted with one of the mysterious ‘Mimic Generators’. These esoteric devices can copy the function of nearby generators. In practice, land ship Captains will initially use their Mimic to imitate generators within their own fleet, normally providing an extra Rocket Jammer to better protect the battle group. Then, once they are buried deep amid the foe, they will begin to ‘steal’ other generators effects, creating much confusion in the enemy ranks.

As the Kursk moves forward a trio of mortars partially compensate for the lack of range of its turret battery. Although unable to perform the same area devastation as the Volochok Class Bombards, these are still apt at picking apart middleweight vehicles, or blunting large squadrons of Small Class tanks.

Coalition Commanders have also found the facility to attach a patrol of small craft to the Land Dreadnought to be a huge advantage, particularly with the flexibility they are afforded. When anticipating heavy air resistance, a Squadron of Fighters will accompany the vehicle to protect it from aerial threats. Conversely, when simply additional fire support and assault troops are required, a small group of Tikhvin can be deployed instead.

[Centurio]

Schick, schick die Russen. Da kommt ja so langsam richtig viel Abwechslung rein. Persönlich bevorzuge ich allerdings die SeestreitkrÀfte der EobS.

[AndréM]

Never Say Die!

Foreigners often assume that the Russian military is frivolous with its resources when carrying out military operations. This is, however, a mistaken view. The gratuitous waste of the Tsar’s soldiers is looked at with great disapproval by his Oprichnik agents, for in effect it is a crime against the Tsar himself. Officers with a reputation as butchers of men are quickly removed from their posts.


Russian Coalition Tyumen Class Repair Vehicle

However, an even harsher fate awaits those who also squander precious equipment. Conscript soldiers are relatively easy for the White Army to replace. But its tanks and other armoured vehicles are a vitally important resource whose loss takes much more time and effort to make good. The Oprichnina, the Tsar’s personal interior guard, are ruthlessly efficient in their elimination of the incompetent and inefficient from positions of importance in the Russian military hierarchy.

The concept of mobile armoured repair stations is not a new one to the Russians. The logistical problems of maintenance during offensive actions were first identified by the Stavka, the Coalition’s combined military General Staff, after the White Army’s after its experience during the Russian war against the Chinese back in the 1840s.

The Tyumen Repair Vehicle, which entered service in 1863, represents the ultimate development of this technology. It is equipped with an extensive array of cranes, winches and tools, all incorporated into its structure. It also carries a dedicated crew of mechanics and engineers, a considerable amount of supplies and materials, and a small array of weaponry for self-defence.


A battle-damaged Kursk Land Dreadnought receives some welcome assistance from the Repair Vehicles

The Tyumen makes it possible for maintenance facilities to be brought right up to the front line. White Army field repair crews are renowned for their bravery and unstinting dedication, often carrying out complex procedures while under heavy enemy fire.

Every vehicle patched up on the front lines is one that can be returned to action all the quicker. This allows the Shock Armies to carry out operations more effectively than if they had to send large amounts of equipment to rear-area repair shops. Tyumen crews are even capable of patching up damage to Land Ships and larger machines of war.

The Tyumen’s value is well appreciated. Every Armoured Battle Brigade has an autonomous Repair Detachment under the direct authority of its commander. Individual Tank and Artillery regiments often have an additional company of the machines integrated into their organisation. Russian officers can thus be confident of keeping their fighting power up to strength, allowing the Shock Armies to roll onwards unhindered for the greater glory of the Rodina.


Russian Coalition Tyumen Class Repair Vehicle

A Word From The Designer
Creating special models is always one of the highlights when designing a new fleet; matching out the existing ship rosters is fun, but models that have no analogue are the ones that require the most creative effort and, therefore, are the most satisfying to see finished.

Beside the vast array of mechanical contraptions bent to the vile arts of destruction and mayhem, the Tyumen Repair Vehicle represents a bold new era for the battlefields of Dystopian Wars: attrition carries less meaning when one side can gradually recover from the damage inflicted upon them.

We decided early to use the concept for the Tsar tank as a template for the Russian Coalition’s smallest tanks, as its unique shape would be impractical for us to produce on a larger scale. Specials however, are special, and as a designer it lets us break a few of our little rules. Here the Tsar layout made so much sense: the large wheels fit around the injured vehicle and clamp in place, allowing the massive crane to do its business. The Tyumen became part Tsar tank and part dockside, meaning we finished with something truly unique.

In an effort to encourage the (relative) realism of these massive mechanical contraptions, we have created the illusion that the model is in motion. This has been achieved by emphasising huge, moving parts that even on a static model seem to be ready and poised to break into motion. You can almost hear the resounding clatter of steel grating on steel. The time dilation orb’s closing top is one of our favourite examples of this, and on the Tyumen we had to do the same.

The two outer wheeled sections widen on the central ratchet to envelop the damaged vehicle, or narrow for a more stable drive on its own. It helps with the Tyumen that the model allows you to assemble it in either position, and if you have a spare tank handy you can even put it into action and sculpt on the damage and the crane at work on it.


The Tyumen Repair Vehicles roam the battlefield, tending to any damaged White Army comrades

To War!
Relying on the formidable durability of their heaviest vehicles, White Army Commanders find the Tyumen Class Repair Vehicle an invaluable asset.

Their role is simple – the Tyumen roll forward at the back of the Russian formation, keeping within easy reach of their allies whilst still shielded from incoming ordnance. Then, if one of the White Army Land Ships or Land Dreadnoughts begins to suffer from enemy fire, they will dispatch their repair crews to patch up the damage and keep the vehicle in fighting order.

If a Land Ship begins to take serious damage, one of the Tyumen will move in close to aid repairs with its heavy duty equipment. This allows the repair teams to more easily restore crippled systems to working order, but risks exposing the Tyumen to incoming fire.

Knowing that these fragile vehicles will attract enemy attention, the Tyumen are fitted with light weaponry. However, these are very much a last resort as bringing them to bear means exposing the Squadron to concentrated return fire.

[Chilln]

Sind da schon die Werte bekannt fĂŒr die russischen Einheiten?

[AndréM]

Russian Coalition Vorkuta Class Land Driller and Tikhvin Class Small Tanks


(From left to right) Russian Coalition Tikhvin Class Small Tank, Belgorod Class Land Ship, Vorkuta Class Land Driller, Tower, Myshkin Class Bomber


Russian Coalition Moskva Class Dreadnought


(From left to right) Russian Coalition Suvorov Class Cruiser, Moskva Class Dreadnought, Borodino Class Battleship, Tiny Flyer Tokens

[AndréM]

Kremlin Of The Seas

The mighty Moskva Class Dreadnoughts are the pride of The White Navy. Although not the largest ships in its fleets – a status that rests with the great Kostroma Fleet Carriers – the Moskvas are undoubtedly the most revered. Commanding one of these titans of the sea is seen as the highest honour to which a White Navy Battle Brigade Captain can aspire.

Developed to replace the older Nikolaev Class, the design of the Moskva is an outgrowth of the modern Borodino Class Battleships. Its origins date from 1865 but, like almost all Russian war machines, the Moskva’s design was radically recast in the light of developments made by Markov and his Circle after 1866.


\'Bigger is Better\'

In appearance and function, the Moskva is a larger and more powerful version of the Borodino – ‘bigger is better’ is a maxim enshrined in almost every aspect of Russian design, especially in regard to war engines.

White Navy Admiral Leonid Zhdanov remarked that the ship would be ‘a veritable Kremlin of the seas’ on seeing its blueprints for the first time. When the Tsar heard of this, he personally decreed that the class be named in honour of the city of Moscow, home of the greatest Kremlin, or citadel, in the Russian Coalition.


‘The Devil’s Triangle’ unloads on the cornered Toulon Class Armoured Cruisers

The Moskva carries armament fitting for its great bulk. Like the Borodino, its primary weapons are the so-called ‘Devil’s Triangle’ of three forward turrets, mounting heavy-calibre smoothbore cannons. However, unlike the battleship, the dreadnought supplements these with a wing turret on either beam.

These turrets, mounting slightly smaller calibre ordnance, were fitted to assist in covering the blind arcs abeam and astern that had proven somewhat problematic in the Borodino Class.

Combined with the vessel’s standard hull-mounted secondary broadsides of lighter rifled guns, they ensure that anyone attacking a Moskva from abeam or abaft of the forward turrets, hoping to find a potential weak spot, will soon regret their foolishness.


Russian Coalition - Borodino Class Battleship with the Moskva Class Dreadnought

Of course, the turrets may also be turned forwards to supplement the main armament, resulting in firepower of apocalyptic proportions over short to medium distances. Any enemy vessel crossing a Russian dreadnought’s ‘T’ at its optimum range is almost certain to be blown out of the water. Likewise, a Moskva can reduce even the strongest enemy coastal fortifications to rubble in just a few salvoes.

Like the smaller Borodino, the Moskva is designed with aggressive frontal assaults in mind. Its massive hull is clad in ablative armour, concealing thrumming defensive Generators and powerful Sturginium Thermal Pressure Engines capable of granting it an increase in speed over short distances. The White Navy treats the Moskva like a great barbed spearhead, capable of driving deep into enemy formations and inflicting catastrophic damage, and leaving at best crippled victims ripe for destruction by other Russian warships.

A Word from the Designer

The Russian naval forces are already some of the most imposing ships in Dystopian Wars, their grungy industrial profiles a frightening sight across the waves. The Borodino Class Battleship already sets the benchmark in terror next to enemy ships in the same class.

It’s all fun and games making impressive ships and exciting models, right up until the point where you have to make something even bigger and meaner than the biggest, meanest thing you’ve made to date, while trying not to eclipse some of the old classics in the product range. A one player game of one-upmanship isn’t nearly as fun as it sounds.

The Moskva towed the fine line of making a truly fearless fighting vessel while not outstripping the rest of the product range in size or style. The biggest difference between the Moskva and Borodino is that the dreadnought has no less than five forward facing turrets, and though several of them do have restricted beam arcs, the forward profile of the ship is terrifying. We originally played with the idea of having the full double barrelled turrets set in the beam mounts rather than the final single turrets, but ten forward facing barrels is over the top even for the world inhabited by the likes of the Metzger giant robot.


A truly terrifying amount of forward-facing and flanking turrets

Finding room for those turrets was another issue entirely, as widening the ship to fit them all into forward facing mounts broke the overall profile of the Russian fleet and that dagger-like shape that makes them so mean. The trick came in breaking the smooth line of the hull and bringing the beam mounts out in fin-like protrusions. It was a nod to the Russian piscine prototype Black Wolf and one that works nicely on the final model. Not only does it keep the imposing profile, but the way the hull lines break screams out just how tightly the Russian Coalition engineers had to jam in all these guns to make this monster.

To War!

The intimidating Moskva Class Dreadnoughts are a Russian Naval Commander’s weapon of choice when an enemy line needs to be broken. Frequently fielded alongside the smaller Borodino, these vessels can soak up even more firepower than the Battleship and can pay out significantly more in return.


Your opponent will do well to find a weak spot here

Although its weapons are still forward focused, the addition of flanking turrets and more powerful broadside armament means the Moskva’s true place is the centre of the foe’s battle line. Once there, its matchless close range firepower spitting from both flanks will fracture enemy defences for the remainder of the fleet to mop up.

The greatest challenge Coalition Commanders face then, is getting the behemoth into position. Understandably for its mass, the Moskva is even slower than its Battleship cousins, and can be left behind by an unwary Commander. However, the ability to periodically overcharge its engines for a sudden boost of speed helps to mitigate this.

The Dreadnought is also loaded with even thicker armour and more defensive generators than any other vessel, keeping the fleet protected as it makes its ponderous approach.

Finally, as befits its station, the crew of a Moskva is comprised of hardened veterans, notably superior to the conscripted marines who serve aboard other Russian ships. The final card in the hand of a Dreadnought captain is then to swamp a valuable target with highly trained riflemen and seize a fresh prize for the Tsar.



It Came From Below

Some of the most frightening, and certainly the most infamous, of The White Army’s new war machines are the fearsome drilling engines it employs to perform shock assaults on heavily defended enemy positions, especially those that are fortified.


The Vorkuta Land Driller breaks through and releases its embarked Ground Support

The designs for the Vorkuta and its prototypes originated, as with so many of the Russian Coalition’s new engines of war, from the activities of Markov and his compatriots. However, unlike many of his other ‘liberations’ of Covenant technology, the arch-spy leaked the designs of the drilling engines to the Tsar’s secret service some time before his eventual defection.

As a result, when the Coalition moved to attack the Prussian Empire’s eastern borders, and the Ottoman garrisons in the Caucasus Mountains, fleets of the drillers, built in secret at workshops deep in the Urals, were readily available.

Machines like the Vorkuta were in fairly common usage in the Covenant itself. In fact they were – and are presumed to remain – essential in the expansion and development of the Covenant’s holdings on the southernmost continent. Such engines were used to grind and bore many tunnels and caverns deep beneath the ice-encrusted surface of Antarctica, in which Lord Sturgeon and his people established their new domains.

However, the Covenant’s drilling engines were restricted to peaceful purposes, and were essentially items of heavy industrial machinery. Markov’s genius was to militarise the design, turning them into assault machines of unparalleled ferocity and effectiveness.

Such has been the success of the Vorkuta in this role that Sturgeon and his advisors count Markov’s perversion of this otherwise innocuous device to warlike purposes as one of his most serious crimes against science.

Vorkutas are deployed in special Independent Assault Engineer Detachments, attached to the Shock Armies. Like artillery units, they are usually placed under the direct control of the commander of the Armoured Battle Brigade to which they are assigned. Individual units from Tank Regiments are then detached to act as subterranean spearheads during major offensive operations.

The Vorkuta’s purpose is to act as a heavy assault transport for squadrons of Russian armour. Travelling below ground, the driller allows its cargo to bypass surface fortifications. Used in conjunction with conventional assault forces, the drillers burst forth from the ground behind enemy lines, disgorging squadrons of tanks in the foe’s rear areas. The resultant chaos and disruption aids the main Russian forces’ ability to break through even the most stubborn enemy defences.
Protecting its Comrades, the Vorkuta\'s cargo immedietly link fire on their Britannian target


The Vorkuta has certainly earned its nightmarish reputation.

The drillers are sometimes employed to attack certain components of enemy defences themselves, as it has been found that the shockwaves produced by these giants when they surface is a very effective means of mine clearance.

Vorkutas have seen much use in the fierce battles along the Prussian Empire’s borders. They have proved a hugely valuable asset in the White Army’s continued assaults on the vast defensive networks of the Wolfgang Fortresses.

They are also beginning to see service on the Carpathian Front where, as in their earlier deployments in the Caucasus, they are being used to burrow new passages through otherwise impassable terrain.

The driller’s final military value is psychological. The Vorkuta has garnered such a nightmarish reputation amongst the enemies of the Tsar that not even the ground beneath their feet is to be trusted any longer!


The Jaws of the Beast

A Word from the Designer

Since the early drafts of the background pieces for the Russian Coalition were circulated, we have been excited by the prospect of drilling transports. Dystopian Wars is full of a huge array of mechanical marvels that travel across the vast ocean; we have huge treaded behemoths that leave trails of devastation across the land and gigantic Skyships that fly above it, but so far there has been nothing that travels below the earth.

Classic pulp and retro science-fiction have portrayed drilling and boring vessels in so many different ways that they have carved a tunnel into the genre like nothing else, and so it was only fitting we try and do them justice here.

In actuality, the majority of the model was fairly simple to put together: drills are, after all, repeating radial patterns, and the level of detail required for the outer hull on a vessel that travels underground is more utilitarian. This is because any more extravagant features would be crushed and torn by moving rocks and earth.

It was difficult to decide the best type of drill to use for the Vorkuta Class Land Driller. Do we go with the classic conical drill, the flatter borer, or, my personal favourite, the tri-cone drill? The end result was a hybrid of all three – a conical shape and, nestled within, a separate tri-cone. You could say this is massively overcomplicated, but then that’s a good thing when it comes to Dystopian Wars. Being a transport vessel, the layout of the tri-cone is meant to break open into three separate sections, folding back to reveal the containing tank squadrons.


Propelled by its multiple tracks, the Vorkuta\'s thunderous tremors terrify those above!

To War!

The White Army’s Vorkuta Class Land Drillers were long scorned by sceptical Commanders from other nations as a preposterous notion. However, the sight of these gargantuan war engines bursting from the earth amidst their battle line silenced any such doubts.

The tactical advantage presented by these machines is evident: they are able to move across the battlefield in relative safety, to emerge behind the enemy’s formations and detonate any defensive mines in the process.
Here the embarked Squadrons of Kamchatka or Tikhvin are disgorged to strike at weak points in the foe’s defences. Meanwhile, the Vorkuta continues to protect its charges from incoming fire with a Rocket Jammer Generator, and can even pick off enemy crew with specialist riflemen.

Choice targets for the Vorkuta and its cargo include isolated Bombard Squadrons hiding behind the enemy’s rear lines, strategic objectives or defensive emplacements to be seized or removed and even the ill-armed rear arcs of Land Ships and Mobile Airfields, whose lack of manoeuvrability makes them very vulnerable to such assaults.

[AndréM]

Iceberg Incoming

The largest ship in the White Navy’s order of battle, the Kostroma Class Battle Carrier still echoes the characteristic design of its other vessels. In a military revolutionised by the glut of information supplied by Markov’s Circle, this is perhaps surprising, but then again, the Kostroma is itself a relatively new concept for the Russians.


Russian Coalition - Kostroma Class Carrier with Tiny Flyers


Through the use of its Glacier Generator, the Carrier prevents a possible ram and protects itself from incoming fire

Dating from the early 1860s, the Kostroma is the White Navy’s first aircraft carrier. Previously, the Stavka had not considered the construction of mobile air-bases a military priority. Such is the Coalition’s vast size that its military top brass had long assumed that any operations carried out by Russian forces could be amply served by land-based airpower from fixed installations.




Russian Coalition Kostroma Class Carrier

However, Tsar Vladimir’s ambitions beyond the land borders of his realm, as well as the need for mobile air cover for the White Navy’s Battle Brigades forced the issue. The first Kostroma entered service as early as 1863. However, although the design has undergone a number of refinements, mostly involving Markovite technology, the basic principles behind it remain unchanged.

The Kostroma is essentially a huge floating airfield, housing Steel Interceptor squadrons detached from the White Air Armies to act as naval air support. However, unlike some of its equivalents in foreign navies, the Kostroma is also heavily armed with conventional weaponry, shipping massed broadside batteries of rifled medium cannons, making it a formidable floating fortress in its own right.



Russian Coalition Kostroma Class Carrier

The carrier mounts a few of the Circle’s revolutionary technologies. Although it is protected by the now-standard scheme of ablative armour, it lacks Sturginium Pressure Engines as swiftness is not essential in its role. Instead it is powered by massive smoke-belching coal-fired reciprocators. However, this in itself makes the carrier an intimidating sight when cruising at full speed.

Additionally, the Kostroma‘s hull conceals one of the strangest Generators ever devised. A product of Markov’s stolen treasures, the Glacier Generator is capable of creating huge icebergs literally in moments.

These sudden ice fields can confuse and confound opponents attempting to close with or target the carrier or other vessels around it. Built as standard on new Kostromas entering service since 1866, Glacier Generators have been retro-fitted on all earlier ships as a matter of priority.

The Kostroma has one last means of attack and defence available to it, should any enemy be foolhardy enough to fight through the rest of the carrier’s escort to close with it. It houses a vast complement of Russian Naval riflemen, sufficient to overwhelm the crews of smaller enemy ships, and make anyone attempting to take the carrier by boarding seriously regret their rashness!


Russian Coalition Kostroma Class Carrier

A Word from the Designer

The Kostroma Class Carrier was a challenging but thoroughly rewarding model to build. The first hurdle I faced was reconciling the large, wide and flat plane of the flight deck against the veering triangular nature of the Russian Hulls. Most of the general hull shapes of the other nations have shapes better suited to adding decks whereas here the Russian aesthetic is heavily based around the angular hull.

The hull had to be formed further to meet the deck and, in reflection, the sacrifice isn’t as dire as it seems: the tiered factory top of the Russian ships complements the shape nicely and it gave me enough room to play with to add all the fun elements I wanted to.

First and foremost (almost literally), the Glacier Generator set on the bow of the ship was an entirely new generator in both the game and one with no aesthetic precedence. Rather than a set node of technological wonder like many other generators, the Glacier Generator is split into a battery of directional nozzles that combine to create the effect of placing an iceberg in already calm waters. The heat displacement requires an upward venting of hot air from a massive turbine at the top of the ship which in the heat of battle helps create an updraft for combat launches.


Russian Coalition Kostroma Class Carrier

Other than the factory style tops that are interchangeable atop many Russian Coalition ships, several design elements were added to the ship’s core to help solidify its role as a carrier. The all important aircraft lifts, taken in style from freight elevators, add interesting crossing lines to the ship’s vertical profile and loaded cargo crates piled against the sides of the ship reinforce the busy nature of the vessel.

My favourite element by far is the simplest – the turntable neatly concealed by the top of the ship. It is there to help taxiing aircraft align to launch positions in rapid succession. Little touches like that are there to help give life to the ships, and while most of them can go unnoticed on the final models, it is a real joy to see them finished and painted with the same level of care that went into making them.


Russian Coalition Kostroma Class Carrier

To War!

Some Russian Coalition Commanders overlook the Kostroma Class Battle Carriers in favour of the raw firepower of the Moskva and the Borodino. However, the tactical flexibility they can provide should never be under-valued.

Although lacking the close range turrets which characterise other White Navy vessels of its size, the Kostroma’s broadsides pack a considerable punch. The Battle Carriers are fully capable of crippling any middle weight vessels which stray in range of their powerful cannons. However, the Kostroma is considerably more vulnerable to return fire than the White Navy’s Battleships. As such it is unwise to plunge them into the enemy formations like the Moskva and Borodino. Instead, they are best held in reserve, where they can pick off targets weakened by the frontline vessels.

Of course the true strength of the Battle Carriers lies with their compliment of aircraft. The tenacity of the ferocious Steel Interceptor wings is fast becoming legendary, and Coalition Commanders particularly value the versatility of the Air Army’s Dive Bombers. Capable of performing aerial dog-fights with the fighters and airships of other nations and devastating important targets with brutal bombing runs, the Interceptors are regarded as a very valuable asset. These wings are further supported by the Carrier’s Deck Crews, who work tirelessly to keep the craft operational.

The final weapon in the Kostroma’s arsenal is the unique Glacier Generator. Although not overtly offensive, these devices can generate obstacles to impede the enemy’s manoeuvres. The tactical potential of these Icebergs is immense: they can funnel targets into the arcs of powerful Russian turrets, protect vulnerable flanks or stop a foe from fleeing the range of the fleet’s guns.




Tower of Tsar Terror

Although the reputation of the Russian Coalition’s military is that of a hugely potent offensive force, especially in recent years, this is not its only focus. No matter how powerful an army or navy might be it always retains the need for commanding static assets to protect its home bases and supply lines.

In fact, this goes doubly so for the Russian military – their great offensives are only sustained thanks to the secure network of fortifications they have established as they advanced. Not only does this ensure that their lines of supply are protected, it also provides Russian forces with secure areas for consolidation and the amassing of reinforcements.


Russian Coalition fortifications provide overwatch as their comrades roll into battle!

With so many land borders to defend, the Russian Coalition also places great faith in strong static defences, which free up its mobile forces to operate elsewhere. Major cities such as Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev and Sevastopol are ringed with formidable defensive works. More fortifications are positioned to watch over its far flung borders, such as the Nikolai Line overlooking the remote Pacific Coast.

Like those of the other powers, Russian fortifications are designed to be assembled relatively rapidly from pre-fabricated components. However, once assembled, they are immensely resilient, capable of resisting even the strongest assaults. The Russian Coalition raises whole regiments of infantry to act as garrison troops for its fortified redoubts in key areas.


Russian Coalition Tower Set

Because they are immobile, fortifications can mount the largest and most destructive ordnance the major powers can devise – below each emplacement is a network of heavily defended magazines and stores to keep the fort’s weaponry and its crew battle-ready.

In the case of Russian-built structures, they mostly mount the same huge smoothbore guns common to the White Army’s Land Ships. However, some emplacements mount heavy rifled weaponry, too bulky even for dreadnoughts, to expand the areas which they can bring under bombardment.

Because of its huge land area, the Russian Coalition military places great reliance on static airfields, more so than almost any other nation. The majority of the White Air Armies are based out of conventional airfields, heavily defended by flak towers.

The extent of this network or aerodromes is vast, and they are easily constructed with conscripted labour from preassembled components. This capacity, together with its forces operating mostly from home territory, means that the Russian military has to date not needed to develop land-based mobile airfields like the other major powers.

Everywhere the Coalition military goes, it rapidly constructs a great deal of redoubts to support its operations. However, these forts also have another purpose – to establish and maintain the Tsar’s iron rule over the regions through which his armies march, and his fleets sail. They are the lasting physical embodiment of the Russian monarch’s power and his expansionist dreams.


The four corners of the Russian Coalition Tower Set watch over the Tsar\'s land

A Word from the Designer

The Russian Tower Set was a pleasure to design as the late 15th c. architectural style of the Moscow Kremlin, which was a primary source of reference in this model, exhibits so many elements of design in keeping with the way I envision the collective mentality of the Russian Coalition. It exudes might and stability, asserting the dominance of those within its walls for miles beyond, and yet contains numerous examples of the intricate and ornate. It is built for supremacy – physically and aesthetically. Interestingly, the existing walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin, in all their archetypal Russian glory, were built by masterful Italians, though they too had existing Russian designs from which to refer. Having returned to Spartan Games headquarters following a magnificent Renaissance-focussed excursion, I began work on the Tower Set and its substantially larger sibling the Russian Coalition Bunker Complex. I was full of inspiration and excitement to design a set of Dystopian Wars models that invoked strong architectural elements of these two amazing cultures, with license to bring it into our world of Victorian Super Science.

Kremlin does not refer only to the one in Moscow. The massive front doors of the Russian Coalition tower and the shield generator top, for instance, were derived from elements that I found appealing in various other kremlins around Russia. Also note the “M”-shaped trim, which appears in numerous kremlins. When designing buildings for our games, I construct them in real world architectural units, only emphasising elements that would become invisible when scaled down to game size. The Russian Coalition Tower, therefore, is 260’ in height from the ground to the tip of the towers, and the quad barrels of the Gun Tower are 68’ in length.

[McCloud]

Immer wieder faszinierend, was die sich alles einfallen lassen, ich bin kurz davor schwach zu werden und mir noch eine Flotte zu holen.

[AndréM]

A Storm Is Brewing

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth SWZ3 Palnik Class Flame Tank

The Alliance Nations and the way they fit into the game of Dystopian Wars were an opportunity to come up with some interesting designs outside the standard set that the major powers produce; niche models with niche roles that add a little more flavour to the battlefield. One of the first Alliance models produced was the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth\'s Flame tank, a medium armoured model whose firepower is quite literally firepower.



Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - SWZ3 Palnik Class Flame Tank

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth designs carry elements from the background of the PLC as a whole. Their history, aesthetic and military doctrine were formed on the basis of the infamous Polish Winged Hussars. Trying to apply a notion of speed to a static model, let alone a tank the size of a building, is tricky. The first thought is to favour front-heavy designs that lean forward, treading a little on what makes the Federated States of America land vehicles special.


Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - SWZ3 Palnik Class Flame Tank

This led to a model with large wheels and taut tracks – a nod to racing cars and motorcycles. Putting as much of the physical model into the motive sections helped to lend speed to the eye. The other nod is to the Hussars, and this is where we added wings. In most instances they fit in among the smokestacks but, while more subtle than the original winged hussars, are still easily seen to anyone on the battlefield.


Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - SWZ3 Palnik Class Flame Tank

Making something a flame tank is as much about implying heat as it is about fire. After all, the model has no gouts of flame spouting from it: that task is left to the skilled hobbyists and painters who will take this model under their wing. For us, it was about making a model that looks equal parts furnace and fireplace. Most of the surfaces present are not large metal panels that make up a great amount of the tanks that populate the Dystopian Wars universe, but grilles and heat sinks intertwined with sinuous pipes and boilers, making for something that is more of a smelting plant than a war machine.


Dominion of Canada Archer Class Flak Tank

The flak tank for the Dominion of Canada was another model with a niche role that adds a lot of flavour to the battlefield. Where the land game allows aerial support for the slow lumbering machines on the ground, the same support can often do as much damage as the rest of the forces in play. The Republique of France showed us that a medium class support vessel could do wonders to control the skies above the battle and it’s long due that we brought the same ethos onto the muddy fields as well as the ocean.



Dominion of Canada - Archer Class Flak Tank

Canada in Dystopian Wars is much like Canada was in the real world timeline, and aesthetically you can see a great deal of influence from British, American and French designs, but there is still a strong underlying lean of independence. The final product is unarguably Canadian, and part of what makes that true is in the unique function of the model.



Dominion of Canada - Archer Class Flak Tank

The only analogue to the Flak tank is the Republique of France Support Cruiser, but as an overall rule of thumb the same size classes for naval models are a slight degree smaller on land. The Support Cruiser had a long hull to fill with Ack Ack turrets while the squat Flak tank does not. In a way this was a boon as the final model covers nearly every top surface in Flak turrets, bristling with skyward barrels. This cluttered nature makes up a large chunk of the model’s unique style while fundamentally explaining its purpose to any onlooker. Multiple turrets over a single one was an aesthetic choice as it helps evoke the sense of massive flak barrages streaming into the sky in almost haphazard directions, raining destruction upwards in stark contrast to much of Dystopian Wars.


Britannian Raj Zamburak Class Bombard

Real world India has one of the most colourful histories in the world. Through their own rich cultural past and the long colonial period, the country itself is awash with marvels of architecture and history and proved a rich source for inspiration. When going over some of India’s most famous monuments the temptation to follow the obvious choices was avoided in favour of more thematically appropriate ones.



Britannian Raj - Zamburak Class Bombard

It was the many famous forts littered across the country that provided the basis for the Britannian Raj’s aesthetic. From Agra to the Red Fort and beyond they gave us not only a powerful militaristic vision but also one steeped in the country’s unique aesthetic which encapsulated what we wanted for the Britannian Raj.


Britannian Raj - Zamburak Class Bombard

The Bombard is an interesting example of the application of that aesthetic as well as the unique nature of the model. This Bombard is a shade larger than those owned by the other nations, not only in the vertical profile it takes up on the battlefield but also in the massive calibre of its cannon. The huge bulk is represented by the fact that the final model is more of an artillery emplacement than a mobile bombard; the wheels mounted to it are almost an afterthought, straining to move the massive bulk of the towering weapon.


Britannian Raj - Zamburak Class Bombard

The massive gun is not enough to distract from the unique feel of the rest of the model; the Indian crenulations and the massive minaret style gun take the ridiculously large cannon idea and turn it into the craft of an artisan more than a deadly construct of war, much like the historical background of real world India.

[AndréM]

Allianz-Nationen


(From left to right) Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth LZ5 Rycerz Class Small Tank, SWZ3 Palnik Class Flame Tank, WZ6 Szpada Class Medium Tank, ZB2 Burza Class Bombard

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is a great survivor; almost disappearing from the map several times in its history. But the Commonwealth\'s fighting spirit has never been extinguished. Its armies, built around the famous Legions of Winged Hussars, practice a form of fast-moving, hard-hitting mechanised warfare that will be a valuable addition to your fleet.


(From left to right) Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth and Dominion of Canada

 
(From left to right) Dominion of Canada Wolfe Class Medium Tank, Huntsman Class Tank Destroyer, Resolution Class Land Ship, Archer Class Flak Tank

But what about the Dominion of Canada? The largest of Britannia\'s overseas Dominions, Canada has aided the Kingdom in its many military engagements around the globe. From the crushing Resolution Class Land Ship to the deadly Archer Class Flak Tank, the Dominion of Canada offer an excellent way to expand your Britannian forces.

 
The Russians Are Ready For War!

The might of the White Army is well documented. Our latest release allows you to realise just how devastating this military force is as more land options are unleashed. With the massive Russian Coalition Bunker Complex protecting them, the White Army is capable of taking down whatever their opponents dare to throw at them.


(From left to right) Russian Coalition Tikhvin Class Small Tank, Volochok Class Bombard, Kamchatka Class Medium Tank, Bunker Complex

The White Army\'s Air Force utilises advanced scientific contraptions built from the knowledge passed on from Antarctica and combines it with the cruder technology of the Russian Coalition. This potent blend of mad ideas resulted in the creation of the menacing Tunguska Class Large Skyship and savage Suyetka Class Small Skyship - flying machines built to ensure that the Russian Coalition remain as much a threat in the air as they are at land and sea.


(From left to right) Russian Coalition Novgorod Class Frigate/Veliky Class Escort, Tunguska Class Large Skyship, Suyetka Class Small Skyship

[AndréM]

Shock Assault

The Teutonic Order is a mysterious and powerful organisation within the Prussian Empire, which serves in a number of roles within the Imperial political and military hierarchies, as well as being the Prussian Emperor’s most trusted bodyguards. It is fair to say they also serve the Emperor as his primary secret service agents, serving as a strong defence against infiltration by enemy spies. A final role is to act as the ‘watchers’ of the regular military command and other institutions for any signs of internal dissention or subversive plots.

Despite having so many roles to cater for, the Order also has powerful military forces under its command, with units consisting of some of the most elite soldiers and revolutionary war machines in the Prussian Imperial arsenal. However, these units do not come under the authority of the regular Imperial military; something that occasionally causes disquiet amongst regular military officers, especially those who lead units from the non-Prussian regions of the Empire.

The Teutonic Order commands extensive research and development facilities, housed within fortresses and commanderies in its primary dominion of Prussian Scandinavia. This region of the Empire is also rich in the natural resources needed to realise such projects, including extensive Sturginium deposits.

Many of the most radical technological developments of the age first emerged from the laboratories and workshops of the Teutonic Order, including Tesla technology. Some rumours whisper that the Order was already aware of the existence and potential of Element 270 long before the founding of the Covenant of Antarctica. Whether or not this is true, the Order does not say, for it is protective in the extreme of its secrets. Even details of its most famous scientific innovator, Tesla, are shrouded in mystery to this day.

The Order has long been known as a developer of extraordinary new military technology. This reputation first sealed in 1860 with the advent of the mighty Metzger Class War Robots. However, the Order’s scientists were clearly not content to rest upon their laurels, for shortly after the outbreak of the World War, it unveiled an extraordinary new concept: the Aufseher Class Assault Airship.


Aufseher Class Assault Airship (Top)

The Aufseher is based on the design of the sturdy and reliable Gewitterwolke Class zeppelins of the Imperial Luftflotten. However, its function is radically different. Where the Gewitterwolke is a powerful flying battleship, the Aufseher takes the Teutonic Order’s favoured battle tactics of shock assaults to quite literally a whole new level.


Aufseher Class Assault Airship (Front)

The Aufseher is designed to allow the air landing of Prussian armoured units directly in the heart of enemy strong points, either to provide support for larger attacks or in surprise raids on key objectives. However, even the armoured unit it most often deploys is revolutionary: the Faust.


Fausts on their base beside an A6-V Class Medium Tank


Aufseher Class Assault Airship (Top)

Faust is a new type of manned combat robot resembling a very much scaled down Metzger, although still large enough to dwarf terrified enemy infantry and toss aside light tanks like cardboard boxes.


Aufseher Class Assault Airship (Side)

Now, whenever the huge shadow of a Prussian zeppelin falls over the battlefield and the dirge-like drone of its Tesla motors fills the air, enemy soldiers shudder, for they have yet another reason to fear the might of the Prussian Empire.

A Word from the Designer

The Prussian Empire zeppelin’s are at the heart of Dystopian Wars; the original Imperium Class Sky Fortress is a model that gets everyone talking and the Gewitterwolke Class Large Airship features proudly on the rulebook front cover. I was eager, as ever, to make more when the idea of an Assault Airship came up.


Aufseher Class Assault Airship (Underside)

The Prussians were always very utilitarian in their aesthetic. All the madness in their design was collected and expressed through the medium of electric weaponry, leaving the hull design rather pragmatic. The Assault Airship is longer than the Gewitterwolke, and the underside has been stripped of its weapons. The underside of the Assault Airship has huge sliding bay doors and a lowering cradle to deploy men and machines to the frontlines of the battlefield with lightning speed. Much of the crew complement is given over to the infamous Luftlancers, ready to rain down from the Assault Airship and bring the emperor’s might to his foes.


Aufseher Class Assault Airship (Rear)

The only issue with this approach is that the new detail is mainly concentrated on the underside of the model, which on the tabletop is not ideal, so the decision was made to move the gondola from the underside to the top. A heavy spine was added filled with hatches so high flying enemy sky craft cannot be immune to the deadly Luftlancer boarding strikes.