Star Wars makes it to the tabletop

A few weeks ago I had a test Star Wars Legion game with my son using the miniatures from the Star Wars Legion Core Box set. Since then, I've been busy collecting and painting additional miniatures, and it was  time to get all these newly painted miniatures on to the tabletop for a solo game. The rules that come with the Box set use a unit activation system that is not ideal for solo play, and I was looking for something fast and simple. So, I decided to try Squad Hammer Core – An Introductory Miniatures Game by Nordic Weasel Games. I've had the PDF for quite some while but have never got around to playing them. Today was the perfect opportunity.

Stormtroopers guarding the deep-space communication array.

For the terrain, I used what I had on hand, as I have yet to make any building that would be suited to a Star Wars setting. The rocky areas were made from leftover cement, which I spread out, let dry, then broke into pieces and painted with a clear sealer. I added some smaller model rocks from the hobby store for extra detail. The towers were once old downlight fittings from before the LED era which I pulled apart, while the smaller conical structures are painted-up old LED lights.

Local Drebacks are used by the Empire.

An Officer makes his rounds.

Scenario Background

In the scenario, the Rebel Alliance are attempting to disrupt a deep space communications array guarded by Galactic Empire forces. To succeed, the Rebels must access at least two of the three communication towers and have the droid R2-D2 deploy a virus into the tower computer systems. The Rebel forces can enter the battlefield from any table edge at the start of turn one.

Tabletop setup.

Order of battle

Empire:

• 2 x Stormtroopers units
• 1 x Evil Empire Officer and drone (treated as a unit)
• 1 x Heavy Blaster
• 1 x Speeder
• 1 x Dewback Rider

Rebels:

• 1 x Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, C-3PO (treated as a unit)
• 1 x Han Solo and Chewbacca (treated as a unit)
• 1 x Swoop Bike unit
• 1 x Tauntaun Rider unit
• 1 x Fleet Trooper unit
• 1 x Rebel Trooper unit

Game Report

Amid the chaos of the opening turns, as speeders zipped across the battlefield, the Rebels exploited a gap in the Empire’s defenses. Luke, accompanied by R2-D2, advanced quickly and reached the first communications tower and begun the virus upload. In the confusion Rebel swoop bikes roared into action, catching a unit of Stormtroopers off guard and wiping them out. As they sped around for another pass, they found a retreating Dewback rider in their gun sights and eliminated that threat as well.

With their forces reeling, the Empire found themselves on the back-foot. Their heavy blaster unit providing some much-needed resistance, scoring critical hits that brought down the Rebel swoop bikes responsible for much of the early damage. But the situation remained dire. Luke and R2-D2 had already reached the second communications tower and were preparing to complete a second virus upload. In a last-ditch effort, the Imperial officer rushed to stop them but was cut down by covering fire from Han Solo and Chewbacca.

With two communication towers successfully infected with the virus, reaching the third would have been a tough challenge. It was well-defended by a heavy blaster team and a unit of Stormtroopers. Weighing the risks, the Rebels chose to withdraw, claiming a marginal victory.

Here are a few photos from the game.

The Rebels arrive quickly and in the confusion get Luke and the R2-D2 unit to the first communication tower.

Rebel swoop bikes swing around to fire upon some unsuspecting Stromtroopers.

The swoop bikes now successfully engage a Dewback.

Luck runs out for the Rebel swoop bikes as they come unstuck from the Heavy Blaster.

Luke and R2-D2 infect the second communication tower.

I really enjoyed playing the game with the Squad Hammer Core rules. They gave a free flowing type of game that I was looking for. For those familiar with them, I made a few modifications: speeders were given a free half-move action at the start or each player’s turn, and if activated during the turn, they could make an additional half move. This kept them moving around the tabletop in a very cinematic way. All heroes and villains were treated as veterans and were particularly resilient when determining hits taken, though they were not allowed to regroup to remove hits like other units. I have now set up the tabletop for second game using these rules with my modifications. This time Darth Vader will be making an entrance.

Making room and measuring sticks

The English Civil War armies returned to the tabletop this past week, along with some newly made measuring sticks. These were needed because I have been messing around with the movement and weapon ranges, reducing them by a third. 

Newly made measuring sticks for the reduced ranges.

The reason for reducing the movement and weapon ranges is to create more deployment space on my 6x4 foot tabletop for placing camps, supply wagons, or holding reserves behind the battle lines. Previously, when deploying armies, most units were typically placed within 12 inches of their own table edge, with dragoons sometimes pushed out slightly further, up to 18 inches from the edge. This ensured that no unit started the game within musket range of the enemy.

A typical setup before reduction in ranges.

As I was playing around with reducing the ranges, I was reminded of the advice in Featherstone’s Complete Wargaming, which notes that “move distances and weapon ranges must be formulated to suit the size of the wargames table, remembering that too-short move distances slow the game up.”

With the range reduction, army deployment zones are shift forward a fraction, but the battle lines are closer together which allows space to be freed up. So now advanced units (eg. dragoons and artillery) start 2 inches closer to the centre, the first battle line now begins 16 inches from their base edge instead of 12 inches, and the second line is 12 inches from the base edge where previously it was 6 inches from its own tabletop edge. These adjustments free up space at the rear for generals, reserves, and supply wagons.

The photos below illustrate how the lines compress and open room at the back.

Setup with the reduction in ranges.

So far, I have only reduced the ranges for my English Civil War games, and it seems to be working ok. The closer deployment areas mean the armies still can quickly engage the opposition, and the compressed deployment lines now make manoeuvring more challenging, which seems to reflect the period well. I still need to play a few more games, but I plan to try the same approach with my Roman and Carthaginian battles soon to see how they will play.

Returning to the measuring sticks, this time, when making one, I added a 90-degree triangle at one end to make it easier to determine whether units are moving or shooting within their 45-degree arc.

A unit makes a forward movement with the new measuring stick.

Infantry are able to open fire on some approaching cavalry within their arc of fire.

Star Wars Legion project update

Since March, when my son and I each bought a Star Wars Legion Core Set (I chose the standard version based on the original films with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, while he went for the Clone Wars set) I have been steadily working through my miniatures. 

“How did we get into this mess?”

I quickly painted up the core set, but soon got sucked into the Star Wars universe and began expanding my collection with additional characters and units. Fortunately, I was able to find most of the extra models at discounted prices which for the most part are now painted. So I only have a few more units left to paint, mainly Rebel forces, and that should be it for now (or until I see the next discount). The next stage in this project is to make some terrain, where the focus will be on buildings and rocky landscapes.

All the models completed so far. Only a couple more units to add.

The Rebel forces

Imperial forces.

I have been keeping my painting style pretty straightforward, mainly just blocking in the colours. Sometimes I will add a bit of dry brushing or a highlight to break up areas that look too flat. For example, the C-3PO model looked like a solid gold blob, so I dry brushed it with a touch of silver to bring out the details. All the models get finished with a gloss coat to make their colours pop. I am definitely not doing a grim-dark future or realistic look and am instead aiming for something that feels more like a comic book look.

Rebel Characters.

A closer view of the Imperial miniatures.

“The Emperor is displeased by your apparent lack of terrain progress.”

Most of the terrain will be built using off-cuts from our recent home extension, along with MDF board and whatever useful bits I can find at the local hardware store.