Brigade Models

Now that our resin casting abilities are fully restored, we can crack on with our backlog of delayed new releases. Today we have a new 15mm vehicle for the Ander’s Legion mercenary unit, part of the Hammer’s Slammers range.

The Kopis recce vehicle came about following some discussions on the Hammer’s Slammers Facebook page when the original Anders models were released. The Legion’s Xiphos tank destroyer has a bit the look of a WW2 Marder tank destroyer to it, so we stretched the analogy further and took the idea of the Sdkfz 140/1 Aufklärungspanzer, creating the Kopis.

There are three variants of the Kopis; the basic recce version has a hexagonal open-topped, twin laser turret with a pintel tri-barrel powergun for the commander. A heavier recce version has an asymmetrical turret with an autocannon and light missile pod. Finally, there is the Astrapi AA version with twin lasers in a ball-like turret.

The arrival of the Kopis allows us to create a new detachment pack for Ander’s Legion, a variant of the existing Recce detachment but with one of the Viking half-tracks replaced by the new vehicle.

HS15-3613 – Kopis Recce Vehicle – £7.50
HS15-3613a – Astrapi AA Vehicle – £7.50
HS15-3613b – Kopis with gun/missile turret – £7.50

HSD15-3602a – Ander’s Legion Recce Detachment

If you’re waiting for the 6mm versions, I’m afraid they won’t be out until the New Year – but as you can see, they’re almost done.

Guardforce O’Higgins are, as their name might suggest, a mercenary unit that specialises in security and enforcement assignments.

Most of the Regiment-sized formation is made up of mechanised units trained in police actions or defensive scenarios. Because they are generally not deployed directly to the front line, the pay rates are commensurately lower than in other outfits who are often at the sharp end of a conflict. The quality of GFOH troops is, in the main, fairly average – in The Crucible they are rated merely as Trained. Behaviour has been an issue in the past – one company had to be completely disbanded at the orders of the Bonding Authority following a breakdown of discipline while on furlough.

Line units are split into Infantry and Armoured companies. The infantry ride in Brollachan tracked APCs – these are cheap and cheerful ‘battle-taxi’ types built on the drive train and powerplant of a commercial all-terrain explorer vehicle. The basic model carries a twin MG turret or a hatch with a pintle-mounted flechette gun, support versions have light missile systems.

The Armoured companies are mainly equipped with Fragarach light tanks carrying a wide variety of turret mounted weapons. The anti-tank vehicles have a pair of railguns, while an infantry support version has twin heavy gatlings instead. There are also light artillery, air defence and scout variants. The Fragarach has the same track units as the Brollachan but with uprated transmission and power plant.

The one exception is the Fianóglach. This is a Veteran, rapid reaction force equipped with HU-1 Perseus VTOLs, used as troubleshooters or to reinforce line companies at short notice. They are drawn from the best troops in the other line companies – which does nothing to help the standards in those units, but the increased pay and bragging rights does give the ordinary Guardforce grunt something to aim for.

The unusual blue-grey scheme of the vehicles pictured is used on assignments where the Guardforce is stationed in or near active civilian populations. It is felt that the non-military colour makes the vehicles less threatening and can help to quiet dissident elements amongst populations that may otherwise react badly to having foreign mercenaries patrolling their streets.

Both the Fragarach and Brollachan are available now from our website. Both are available with a number of different turret options beyond those shown here, which are illustrated on their respective pages.

HS15-3701 – Fragarach Light Tank – £8.00
HS15-3702 – Brollachan APC – £8.00