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| A shiny new Battleship render for a shiny new race. |
It's always an exciting time when a game system announces a new race or faction to play with. That's exactly what Spartan Games have done recently with the announcement of a new race the Oroshan. I haven't really played any of the spartan Games systems recently, but a few friends of mine are still deeply involved with Firestorm Armada in particular. I personally want to start getting more games of Dystopian Wars in because I've enjoyed the game I have played of that. I have to be truthful and say that Firestorm Armada had slipped totally off of my gaming radar, so it's perhaps timely for me that Spartan have reminded me that I actually own a lot of stuff for this game already, and perhaps I should dig it all out again.
Any way, as for the new race the Oroshan they're apparently a deadly alien race... a quick question, why are they never ineffectual and lame these alien races? Any way I digress. According to the blurb this race are a bunch of nomadic wandering ass hats. Going around strip mining planets of their resources as they go because their own corner of the galaxy was destroyed by a supernova. While that is indeed a major bummer it doesn't really give them the right does it to act like intergalactic locust? But hey I guess if they've got the ships and guns to back up their aggressive intent then might is right. Right? I'm probably babbling now, so here have a look at the pretty looking renders:
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| Mmmmm... doughnut ship! This is a cruiser apparently, not a sugary fat filled treat. |
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| An up-skirt shot of the sexy new Oroshan cruiser |
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| Gratuitous close up shot of the Oroshan Battleship, leaves nothing to the imagination! |
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| Another close up. This time of an Oroshan's ring. I'm honestly not trying to make this sexual! |
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| Finally we have nice big round lovely pair of... Frigates! |
Evidently the digital sculptor at Spartan Games had a box of doughnuts next to him when he was designing the Cruisers. I can also confirm I totally want some bloody doughnuts right now, so thanks a lot Spartan Games, there goes the chuffing diet. Apart from that I actually like the design ethic behind these ships. It's also worth pointing out that although there are some quite tight design 'motifs' that hold the range together, they aren't actually all the same shape. I know that an awful lot of people have criticised Spartans Design brief in the past for simply having a large, medium and small version of the same ships in effect. Well these guys are certainly a break from that 'tradition' and as such they deserve a pat on the back for listening and producing a nice looking bunch of ships with extra variety. Peace out!
I quite like the look of them as well. They certainly have come a long way since their first outing where they really suffered from the same-ship-different-size-syndrome.
ReplyDeleteI'm not planning on playing F:A anytime soon but I do kind of follow what's going on with it. I think a second edition of the core rulebook is in the works.
Would like to try Dystopian Wars though... definitely getting a French fleet. :)
Indeed they have Martin. The French fleet in DW looks lovely, I'll be interested to see the rules that they have attached to them. It's clear that Spartan Games are getting better and better with each release, when it comes to design. I too had heard there was a second edition of F:A in the works. I personally hope they take their time over it and really work on mixing the rules up a bit. Providing some different mechanics between different types of attack and differentiating the various fleets statlines a bit more.
DeleteI don't personally like this trend of presenting renders instead of actual models. As far as my experience goes, there tends to be a disparity between the two.
ReplyDeleteHow do Dystopian Wars models compare to the renders?
I too would personally rather see completed miniatures myself as well. However, in terms of Spartan Games stuff at least they tend to be surprisingly close to the finished article.
Delete'a quick question, why are they never ineffectual and lame these alien races?'
ReplyDeleteI forget yer not big on 40k, sometimes.
;)
Sorry, couldn't resist.
:P
Spartan Games rocks, or that there is no doubt.
And aliens are da shiznit, of course, in any game they appear in...whether they're ineffectual or not.
Yeah I know the alien races in 40k aren't effective on the board... BUT they're always described as deadly in some way still. There's never an alien race that are just woefully inept in every way. It's not just wargames, its sci-fi TV, books you name it.
DeleteI guess that is because all the inept races have been wiped out by the deadly ones, no? There are, however plenty of examples of those in Star Trek, Stargate and the like.
DeleteIn 40k you also have extinct or slave races, they just don`t show up on the TT. Would not be the biggest seller I guess ;-) "Yeah, my pink fluffy midget bunnys will totally stop your Alpha Legion.... by blocking the road with the lifeless bodys of their fallen" :-D
PMSL, there is that too Yuggoth. All the crappy races probably get wiped out leaving the most adept races behind I guess.
DeleteSounds like an interesting premise for sci fi novels frontline. Mankind the deadly alien race colonizing and brutalising the backwards and inept aliens. Go to it!
ReplyDeleteAs for F:A, I bought the rule book a few weeks ago and intend to try it out eventually. Only really liked one of the original factions so this could be a go!
Uh, parts of the Great Crusade in WH40k where exactly that...
DeleteAlso in a way the plot of ID4, War of the Worlds etc. :-D
Indeed they were, the Horus Heresy novels though focus a little bit too much on the meat head space marines for my liking.
DeleteI absolutely love your reviews on the FA miniatures! One quick clarification, the "battleship" you show is actually the Oroshan Imperium Armageddon Class Dreadnought(http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=FAOR09)
ReplyDeleteI personally think you should take a look at the Rense System Navy ships for FA, they are apart of the Zenian League(http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1848). Or even take a look at the ships in the Alliance of Kurak (http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1847) as they are interesting too.