Silent Running: A Paradiso Campaign - Mission 101

Introduction

A friend and I have decided to play through a version of the Paradiso Campaign, using the mission structures and XP system to forge a campaign of our own. Due to the difficulties of getting four regular players together we've decided to play through a chunk of the missions ourselves with a narrative link between them, rather than the branching campaign. As I'm fielding Tohaa, much of Paradiso would feel a bit odd if played 'as is', so I'm putting a different narrative spin on the missions to allow us to still play the missions as written.

Some changes will be made to how Paradiso runs to fit our armies and the type of games we enjoy. However over the course of the campaign it will be my own Tohaa army against a Haqqislam force, with a lot of emphasis on the spec ops units. We preloaded our Spec Ops with 3XP to make them a bit more interesting game one - I chose a Hacking Device to give my special operative a bit more usefulness in game one, and my opponent chose one also for his Hafza based spec ops character.

Chapter One: Mission 101 - Cloak and Dagger

Tohaa and Haqqislam forces face off across a deserted urban area at the outskirts of Hadley's Hope City, in USAriadna territory, planet Dawn. Three data containers have been jettisoned by the Hassassin undercover vessel 'Rawdha' - unfortunately neither side knows what the data containers have been loaded with - navigational and operating data from the ships computer core are in two of the capsules, with the third containing as-yet unknown intelligence that both sides are keen to recover and analyse. Local emergency services have evacuated this part of the city to deal with the wreckage from the crashed ship, and it's into this vacuum the two aggressors deploy...

Read the prologue for the campaign here.

We are simply playing Mission 101: Data Recovery here across an urban board setup to look rundown and very much on the fringes of a major city.

Silent Running: A Paradiso Campaign - Prologue

 "... avionics and starboard engine disabled and port engine failing. Sabotage suspected. Life support has been compromised. Sabotage suspected. Security remotes not responding. Sabotage suspected. Manual activation of data system recovery protocols has commenced. Priority recovery of data requested. Transmitting coordina..."

- Fragment of last transmission from a Panoceania trade cutter, designation: Ghost of Karelia.

New Tohaa Clipsos Infiltrator Sniper Model

Couple of days ago it was the Morat special weapons box, now we get another new missing weapon option model, this time for the Tohaa Clipsos Infilitrator.

I don't think it's the most imaginative pose ever, but as far as the sculpt and details go it's another top effort from CB. In my mind I associate the Clipsos with female Tohaa simply as only one other model exists for them, and it's a laydee. So I'd be lying if I didn't look twice to check it was a dude this time.

I love how the model has a slightly more solid, powerful feel to it compared to the lithe female assassin-type model in the starter box, and I can already see myself enjoying painting up the armour and details. The face is great too, fitting the mold of the more scary Tohaa faces the CB seems to opt for on the none-female Tohaa models. Almost mask-like in it's expression.

Not an earth shattering release, but certainly one I'll be buying ASAP since funnily enough I've been building twin Clipsos and twin Gao-Rael lists recently with yes, you've guessed it, two flavours of sniper in them.

Tohaa Kamael Light Infantry: Painted!

Probably the last model I do for a couple of days is this Kamael Light Infantry model. I use him as a forward observer although I noticed he has what appears to be a medics injector pistol in his holster? Anyway, I really enjoyed painting a model I wasn't that enthusiastic about painting as he's quite.. standard? I especially enjoyed doing the fleshy bit of his head and it's just the colour I wanted which was nice.

Now to do some more terrain!

Gao-Rael Unit: Painted!

Another of my newly painted Tohaa. This time it's the Gao-Rael with spitfire - another personal favourite, the sculpt and the pose are spot on. Strangely I don't think the sniper Gao-Rael is half as good a model...

And of course the obligatory group shot with the Gorgos.

One last model to go from my current batch, which is a bog standard Kamael model - I'll post that one tomorrow.

Tohaa Sakiel Regiment: Painted!

My first non-Gorgos Tohaa model painted is this one, the Sakiel with viral combi rifle and swarm grenade. This model is one of my favourite Tohaa, I just love the pose and the mohawk of symbiont armour! Love it.

Not my greatest paintjob, but I see the Tohaa as a WIP in general - I'll no doubt go back and redo bits as I get better at certain colours or features.

Tohaa Ectros Regiment: Painted!

After much procrastination (I'm an expert) and almost throwing all my Tohaa in the paint stripper this week, I grew a pair and simply cracked on with getting some models completed.

Here's my Ectros Regiment dude with viral combi rifle and spear (why just list it as a CCW when it's a huge spear?!).

First Painted Tohaa Model: Gorgos

Phalanx On Hold. Hallo Tohaa!

To comfort myself in the aftermath of the previously mentioned Steel Phalanx debacle, I've taken the plunge into Faction #3. And I've chosen Tohaa.

I've been holding off on a third faction as I don't like using unpainted armies, and the Phalanx were a painting roadblock I couldn't get round. So they're going into suspended animation whilst I work out how to paint them in a way I actually like. In the meantime, the Paradiso newcomers will be a gradually developing third faction I'm going to endeavor to paint as I get the models rather than end up with 300pts of unpainted minions.

With that in mind I've simply begun with the basic Starter Box. Once that's done I'll keep adding bits in. I'm hoping to pick up a Gorgos at the event (with a bit of discount) but until all of that is painted nothing more will be added. Gives me the incentive to get them done and on the table.

New Year, New Models!

The 30th of December saw the release of the photos for the next set of releases from Corvus Belli, and in my opinion a pretty sensational set of models they are too.

Aside from the fairly "meh" repackaging of the Celestial Guard, it represents ten other models that in my opinion cement CB at the top of wargame models podium.

Tohaa Gorgos Is Gorgeous

I must admit to having thoughts of a third army in the wake of the new Tohaa Gorgos model pictures. Now that is a rather awesome piece of sculpting.

There's been a bit of moaning about the stance of it's legs, but the fact it is so friggin' tall just makes it even cooler to me. I imagine the Gorgos to be something different to the usual TAGs; a monstrous alien creature in armour purposefully striding across the battlefield, coldly picking off it's enemies one at a time! Epic.

Trinkets and Pretty Things

Another solid month by CB standards for Infinity, with the new batch of announced new models for Infinity.

The Dire Foes combat models are all really nice again, although only the Shasvastii really sings to me if I'm honest. However the two civvies are superb, with the hazard suit lady being probably the best civvie model in the range in my opinion.

Nomads get the really brilliant Intruder sculpt, and Tohaa get for me probably one of the least attractive models in their range with the Ectros HMG (weird looking legs?). As an ALEPH guy, the Machaon model is my highlight. Initially I was somewhat disappointed that he didn't have the athletic pose of many of the other male Myrmidon officer heroes. However the more I look, the more I love. The mini-Ajax school bag and the long coat are just lovely little stylistic ideas, and within the existing Phalanx model range it will make a great addition from an aesthetic point of view. Not sure about the greasy looking fringe thing Angel painted though...