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Drahazar
01-25-2012, 06:23 PM
A new game has been entering the school yard and its called heavy gear. Beasts of War has been doing a large thing on it with the release of NuCoal a new faction for the Heavy Gear game. Beasts of War has also done two how to play heavy gear videos http://www.beastsofw...ar-blitz-part1/ which is what caught my attention. And so I looked into the game further.

This game is a combined force's type of game. The Gears are around 15ft tall and are piloted by pilots with neural helmets and the sit in these gears with there head just up into the head cavity of the gear it self. The gear themselves look to be inspired from the anime Armored trooper Votoms. For they have Wheels or tank treads which they can activate to move at faster speeds. There are infantry, Tanks and aircraft in the game. Aircraft and Artillery is bought using Support points (SP) which you receive a certain amount according to the point size of the game. You also get Objective points which you roll on a table and you can get a category Offensive, Defensive or standard missions. which have a selection of objectives you spend you OP on for what mission you will take on and that is how you will when the game.

This game is a I go you go type set up. You roll for Initiative and the winner can choose a squad and then activate a gear move him and use his 1 or many actions for Attacks, Forward Observations, or ECM, ECCM warfare or he can save it for reaction fire. Then you move the next guy in the squad till you have moved all gears in the unit then the opponate moves a unit then you then him and so on till all have been activated. This makes for a very interesting game as it makes you have to react or act differently depending on how and where your opponate moves. This game also uses modifiers for range cover and if you are standing still, at combat speed or top speed. All this can affect your ability to Hit or defend from a attack.

The base Attack and Defense is 2 for most units in heavy gear. Basically you role two dice to attack and the defender rolls 2 dice to defend you both take the highest and add or subtract the modifiers. You both are looking to get a margin of success so say I get a total of a 5 and he gets a 3 for defense I got a margin of success of 2 which I take and times it by the damage power of the weapon say X8 for a LAC(Light Auto cannon) That would be 16 Which I then look at my oppents card and if his Armour is say 15 I do one box of damage. Now if I did twice his Armour value I do two box's of damage and if I meet his over kill value he blows up straight away.

This game is about setting up your guys to to take your objectives and to get modifiers built up on enemies to lower there deference like Indirect fire they would receive a -1 to there defense roll or getting attacked from behind would give them a -1 to defense. Combining shots from multiple directions would also give a -1. Every unit in the game has a stat card which gives all the important info http://www.dp9.com//...0Skirmisher.pdf

The Data cards are free to download from DP9s website and also comes in there books. They also have a free to download program called gear garage which is fan made and supported by DP9 for heavy gear
http://www.dp9.com/i...=241&Itemid=242

DP9 as a company are great in my opinion as they are regularly on there forums http://dp9forum.com/ and talk with the customers as well as answer questions. They Also produce two web magazines one is Aurora
http://www.dp9.com/i...d=15&Itemid=101 which covers Heavy gear, Gear Kreig, Jovian chronicles and other items. This Mag also is where people can submit to DP9 Home brewed rules new Regiments or there own fan made story's for other people to enjoy or try out in there shop. Which I have found some neat Ideas and tried them out after reading a Aurora article by a guy on the forums.

Another Webzine they have is specific to heavy Gear called Gear up.
http://www.dp9.com/i...=213&Itemid=245
It contains new info Errata new rules story's, Sinerios or changes and is also free to download from Drive Thru RPG. It is a great mag and has lots of neat stuff to read.

I have really enjoyed playing Heavy Gear and hope to see this company continue with there great support of the community and the great game of heavy gear and hopefully GOG.com will get the Heavy Gear computer games up on there website as those where lots of fun. I plan to do more articles on the Factions of heavy Gear and on the Fluff as well as there is a lot to write about.

Drahazar
01-25-2012, 06:23 PM
Ok for the Fluff sorry it took so long went on Vacation for a month and all plus work.

Terra Nova is one of many colonies from earth. When earth went to the stars they colonized or companies, and religious groups bought planets and terraformed them or colonized the planet. Terra Nova was one such planet. the northern part of the planet is full of forests mountains snow and plains the southern part of the planet are mainly jungles, forests and mountains the center of the planet is a large area called the badlands mainly deserts think of areas like the outback Egypt and places like that. Earth would send out gate ships bring people, services, and materials. At some point the government on earth had a huge political up heavel many coups and dictators eventually civil war broke out on earth the gate ships stopped coming and all the colonies where cut off left to fight for themselves. Terra Nova has many factions on the planet the south is an alliance of many city states as well as the North. The Bad Lands belong to people who dislike the rules of either north or south, rovers, Mercs and individual city states with their own militias. With the New book perfect storm out a new group was added NuCoal which is some of the major city states joined together to keep from getting taken up by the polar powers. One such Faction is PAK or Port Arthur Korps this group are the remnants of the CEF Colonial Earth Forces. Earth eventually got its act together and went out to retake there lost colonies after hundreds of years. They came to terra nova and attacked they were defeated but barely and the troops which are Grel
Bio engineered troops and Korps of Hover tanks along with earth officers turned their base in the Bad lands into PAK. They eventually mark Alliances with other badland city states and create NuCoal.

Army Spotlight - Port Arthur Korps (PAK)
Faction: Port Arthur Korps (Heavy Gear Blitz: Locked & Loaded pg. 107)

The Port Arthur Korps - aka PAK - are the embittered remains of the first invasion wave Earth dispatched to Terra Nova during the War of the Alliance (WoTA). A mish-mash of psychotic super soldiers, advanced Earth technology and Terra Novan tactics has allowed them to become a powerhouse in the Badlands. Their rise has given Peace River new reasons for military expansion, and the PAK struggles to ensure its survival in the face of antagonistic Terra Novan nations and a crumbling social order.

PAK provides the war gamer with a very unique army, allowing the enthusiast to field stable Earth equipment - like the fearsome HT-68 - alongside Terra Novan favorites like the Tiger or Python gears. As they can also field GRELs, the PAK has varied tools to be used on the miniatures battlefield, allowing them to reliably attempt many different types of mission. More importantly however they are one of the best ways to blend Terra Nova miniatures with CEF miniatures, giving the connoisseur a wide variety of choice in how they construct their army.

Why should you play the PAK?
Players are typically drawn to the PAK for one simple reason - hover tanks. The HT-68 and HT-72 are iconic sculpts, and the PAK is the only way to field them along side Terra Novan gears. The HAPF can get GRELs and the Heteroi - but if you want the real deal and not a cheap knock-off you need to go to play PAK. With the speed and lethality of the HTs, coupled with the anvil-like GRELs and with gears to fill in the middle, the PAK allows player to create a force that can quickly take advantage of weaknesses in a defensive line and exploit it for victory. If you really love the HT-68 or HT-72, but don't like the CEF - then choose the PAK.
Another Faction I have not mentioned is PRDF Peace River Defense Force it was created by businessmen who were tired of having things taken or told what to do by the polar powers and so left to the badlands.

Army Spotlight - Peace River Defense Force (PRDF) / Peace River Officer Corps (POC)
Faction: Peace River (Heavy Gear Blitz: Locked & Loaded pg. 128)

The forces of Peace River have experienced everything from a meteoric rise to prominence in the Badlands to a devastating bout of terrorism that would have crippled most other leagues. From the ashes of their former glorious crown jewel the survivors are slowly rebuilding and have welcomed with open arms a literal flood of new blood, eager for a new life beyond the polar Leagues. Paxton’s grim determination has been melded with advance technologies to make them a force to be reckoned with, and the two-bit raiders and scavengers that call the Badlands home have learned to fear both the formal Paxton army (PRDF) and their law enforcement counterpart, the POC.

Paxton provides a wide variety of models for the discerning war-gamer to choose from. From the nimble Shinobi to the lumbering Red Bull, the advanced Warrior IV Elite to the monstrous Cataphract, the armies of Peace River are varied in both tenor and composition. With the ability to bring both Leagueless and Black Talon forces to bear, Paxton armies can field almost any Terra Novan model, making them a favorite of collectors looking for an excuse to spend one more pay-cheque on ‘little metal men’. That both armies rely on fewer models to do more is a secondary boon, allowing you to quickly both start and add to your own army. A favorite of fans due to their iconic sculpts; a new player can’t go wrong with either of the Peace River factions.

Note: Throughout the text, I’ll use Paxton to refer to both the PRDF and the POC forces as a whole; if I have comments on a specific force I’ll make sure to preface them with [PRDF] or [POC]. For the purists, I chose Paxton (which is technically the company’s name) over Peace River because it’s less likely to be confused PRDF while reading; so yes, I know I’m technically butchering the name!

Why should you play Peace River?
Paxton is often portrayed as favoring quality over quantity due to their limited man-power; and this ideology is reflected in their army composition. With the majority of their miniatures range consisting of advanced models, most Peace River armies will be small but potent. Couple excellent infantry and some very iconic miniatures (Coyote and the Cataphract) with the ability to incorporate Black Talon allies in some forces, and players who like to play small and elite will find plenty to enjoy. Peace River also allows players to field Leagueless forces, which grants a wide selection of models that can be used to flesh out their forces from either the North or the South factions.

Why shouldn't you play Peace River?
Paxton forces don’t have many ‘filler’ units. On the battlefield, each unit needs to pull its own weight - this is simply the nature of a more elite force. Because of this, players may find their plan of battle quickly unwinding in the face of casualties. In addition, Paxton combat groups tend to be very homogeneous looking - unless you exercise the Growing Pains or Leagueless rules, most Gear groups will wind up looking very similar. If you prefer an army a wildly varied aesthetic, then Paxton may not be the force for you.

I will put up a NuCoal one soon so from the Badlands Ill head south and the SRA.

Army Spotlight - Southern Republic Army (SRA)
Faction: The South (Heavy Gear Blitz: Locked & Loaded pg. 107)

The Southern Republic Army - the SRA - are the proud lords of the southern hemisphere of Terra Nova. With the best soldiers of any southern league and the finest military machines produced on Terra Nova they have every right to be proud of their superiority. Powerful and respected, they are the very pinnacle of the city-state on Terra Nova; but this makes them a target as well.

For the miniatures war-gamer, the SRA poses a very difficult challenge. In order to have success with the SRA, you have to resist the lure to construct an army consisting only of the most elite machines and troops, and find a balance between quality and quantity. This challenge is extreme at lower TV levels, though the Southern preference for 4-gear combat groups alleviates this pressure to some extent. Additionally the SRA has more difficulty placing their Army Commander in the model they want; not only does he have a high cost but additional restrictions make the choice difficult.

Why should you play the SRA?Most SRA armies will be equipped with the very best equipment. Even a simple patrol squad will feature advanced gears and combat equipment, making them a dangerous opponent at any level of engagement. The SRA is typically played as an elite army with a few normal, grunt elements, giving modelers and tacticians alike plenty of challenges. The SRA also boasts one of the greatest possible concentrations of Black Mamba models - if you are a fan of that model, the SRA may work well for you. And finally, the SRA can field a Black Talon attachment, giving you an additional range of models you can collect and field. In short - if you want to play the most elite Southern army - play the south.

Mekong Dominion
A nation of manufacturing, money lending, and corporations as government. They are also minimally armed, using their small military as a dual purpose police force and often hires outside forces to supplement their own when necessary

Humanist Alliance
This nation uses science and technology to structure their society in an attempt to create harmony and utopia. This ideal has almost attained religious status in their people. They place citizens into castes based on aptitude testing and are highly educated at all levels. Research and development, and an efficient skilled work force are some of their greatest assets.

Eastern Sun Emirates
A fractured nation of individual City-States that are almost nations unto themselves. They are led by hereditary monarchs known as Emirs who rule over their common citizens with no middle class in between

In the North
Army Spotlight: United Mercantile Federation Army
Faction: The North (HGB L&L pg 71)

The UMFA has the distinction of being the most highly trained and well equipped force of the Northern armies. This allows a UMFA player to field hard-hitting units throughout their force composition by making some of the more powerful combat groups available to PL3 instead of PL4 forces. Though often criticized for having weak offerings at PL1, the UMFA can pull some surprises out at PL2 that most opponents will not expect. Most UMFA forces will be fielded with a substantial amount of gears - their combined arms forces are often more difficult to obtain than the other Northern armies. For a collector who enjoys a force primarily of gears this can be a benefit, especially when coupled to the easier access to specialist gears. A UMFA force will often look good when it marches to war.

Why you should play the UMFA: You want access to the highest trained troops at a lower PL than the other Northern armies.

Northern Light Confederacy
A large nation known for its devotion to the major religion of Sorrento Revisionism based on the teachings of an early wandering desert colonist prophet named Mamoud. Sorrento Revisionism is a sect that preaches conservatism, and the necessary use of force to make the world a better place. They are most often motivated to conflict by that reason, and even incorporate chaplains into military units.

Western Frontier Protectorate
A region of open plains and ranching that promote family, hard work and patriotism by military service. Indeed, the WFP requires a person to be a reservist in the Protectorate armed forces in order to be elected to high office, and only military veterans may vote.

There are also many strange and wondrous things in the heavy gear setting.

Stone heads: The planet of Terra Nova is sprinkled with large round stone heads similar to those of Easter Island but with a much more Asian style. These dates back to the earliest colonization of the planet or possibly before and the meaning of the giant markers are unknown.

The Koreshi, or sand-riders, are a culture of desert-dwelling nomads similar to the Freemen of the Dune universe. Their existence on Terra Nova is a mystery.

One of the CEF's fleets disappeared when sent to the colony world of New Jerusalem.

The Eastern Sun Emirates saw massive changes during the published Storyline Books culminating in the launch of an ancient spacecraft. It is unknown where that spacecraft went.

MacAllen cave network: Much of the water on Terra Nova is subterranean. The MacAllen network of caves contains most of it, and is nearly a worldwide phenomenon. Natural artesian springs appear all over the globe, even occasionally in the deep deserts of the Badlands. Most of the network is deep underground, often thousands of feet below the surface. Even whole ecosystems of life exist in some of the airless and perpetually dark areas of the network. The extent of the cave system is unknown.

White Sand: One of the more unusual hazards of the equatorial deserts of the Badlands is the phenomenon known as white sand. This sand is highly corrosive and dangerous volcanic ash. It is so corrosive it can destroy machinery and can slowly eat through most metals chemically. It is even used as weaponry in the form of bags of sand thrown into air-intakes or to be inhaled.

Bowser: A near sentient ONNet computer installed into a CNCS heavy gear that has run away from its military base without a pilot. Sightings of Bowser occasionally filter in from the Badlands.

Landships: Unusual magnetic properties of the planet Terra Nova allow for large ships able to hover a few feet off the ground known as Landships. They form the equivalent of a "wet navy" that other planets with surface water would have. A minimum size is necessary to take advantage of this unexplained property, so all Landships are the size of ocean going vessels such as frigates, destroyers, battleships, and aircraft carriers. Because of the cost of they are uncommon.
Order of the Blue Crescent. A religious group based on the teachings of the desert prophet Mamoud. Blue Crescent Adherents typically shave their hair bald, tattoo a blue Crescent on their foreheads, give up all personal property beyond what they can carry, and must visit the major locations that Mamoud once lived in the Badlands during their life. They are noted for being generous, friendly, and often volunteer for civic duties and charities, but are not pacifists.

Blue Crescent Adherents can be found serving in the military of many of Terra Nova's Leagues.



Well that is all for now thanks to DP9s website and books for info and the guys who made the stories and to ICERAPTOR for his help and work on fluff and army spotlights he created that I was able to use.

Drahazar
03-17-2012, 07:52 AM
Posted 23 February 2012 - 01:04 AM


Gear UP 5 is here, and it's a monster issue of miniature hobby related articles, from the Golden Gear entries, to Show Me Your Colors, to Terra Nova Terraformer, and introducing Dream Pod 9 Studio Masterclass. These are just some of the new developments on the hobby side of Heavy Gear Blitz.

We've also got an artist interview with designer and 3D modeller David Tauzia, who contributed to the cover of Perfect Storm and modelled the Lancier, Chargeur, and Hussar. It's also got yet another installment of Prime Solutions by Jason Dickerson and drawn by Mariko Shimamoto.

Gerrit Kitts' MILICIA spotlight article continues in this issue with suggested squad layouts, some stories on life in the AST by Sean Callaway, and some MILICIA uniform studies.

We know Arena players are dying to be able to field NuCoal units in their games, so we've also included rules for that in this issue. But we know what you've really been waiting for since the release of Perfect Storm NuCoal Field Guide, the Field Testing BETA of the revised Field Guide Threat Values for the North, South, PRDF, Leagueless, Black Talon, Caprice, CEF, Utopia, and Eden.

We hope you enjoy this issue!

Get it at DriveThruStuff NOW, and be sure to leave a review, we'd love to know what you think.







Hi All,

Just adding a quick note about the Threat Values Beta from Gear Up 5. This is a Field Testing Section in the latest issue of Gear Up. The Threat Values (TV) Beta is currently in playtesting and the numbers are just working threat values. These Threat Values are subject to change before final release of their respective field guides. We want your input on any playtesting and encourage you to join our playtesters and give us your feedback so that we can continue to improve the Heavy Gear Blitz game.

Sincerely,
Robert Dubois
Pod God
[email protected]

Rich_B
03-28-2012, 03:47 PM
A couple of us at our gaming club in Nottingham just found this hidden gem while looking for bits and pieces to use in 15mm sci-fi. The minis are excellent and the rules look well-crafted. I've got my first gear on the painting table at the moment (a South faction Jager) and it's a lovely mini to paint. Looking forwards to hitting the table with the game soon.

I can't believe it has been around for so long and I hadn't come across it before, although they only recently got a UK distributor so that's probably got something to do with it.

Joe
03-29-2012, 08:23 AM
I don't care for the more " anime" turn its taken with the newer editions. Doesn't affct gameplay of course but still .......

Rich_B
03-29-2012, 03:24 PM
To be honest I think that's what makes it appeal so much to me, I'm a big fan of anime mecha :) Not so much Gundam Wing but Evangelion, Five Star Stories, Macross Plus, Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell & that sort of thing are right up my street.

casetower
03-29-2012, 07:45 PM
I'm a bit on the fence with the fluff sometimes I like it , other times I'm like " ENOUGH with the boy/girl with purple hair thing" lol

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Misty
03-30-2012, 10:58 AM
I'm a bit on the fence with the fluff sometimes I like it , other times I'm like " ENOUGH with the boy/girl with purple hair thing" lol

I had purple hair once... lol

Colonel Kane
03-30-2012, 03:01 PM
I don't care for the anime, but Heavy Gear isn't too bad. I like the fluff. The whole North vs South is cool. I bought the rule book and just can't get into it. It might help if I had someone to play with. Anyways that's just my two cents worth.

Rich_B
04-05-2012, 06:05 PM
I had purple hair once... lol

I had hair once... Lmao :D

I guess the coloured hair thing doesn't really register any more, I play Infinity which is full of it - and cat girls...