The Ion Age Blog: Tohlic Armoured Crawler and Cold Climes Veterans released

Tuesday, 7 November 2017

Tohlic Armoured Crawler and Cold Climes Veterans released

It has taken nearly two weeks since the column had rolled out of Ismere Starport to reach the crash site of Invader Delta, the most distant of the four Shia Khan starships which had come down on Faercycle II. Four Dragon Ships had descended from space after interstellar transit from the Camarthen system and attacked the planet. Though there were no orbital defences one of the four starships was brought down by a suicidal act carried out by the Ruffian a Warwick class shuttle which had rammed the alien vessel. While the other three Dragon Ships, Invaders Alpha, Beta and Charlie, went on to their targets the Ruffian's desperate act ruined the drives of the bigger ship and it crashed in the Belazana reaches. Far beyond any major settlements the Belazana Reaches had a harsh climate and was nearly uninhabitable but even so no toe hold could be granted to the Khanate. It was to the extreme weather crawlers that this target was given as they had the endurance to reach that far and the provisions and protection for the troops that would be needed upon arrival.

More than a hundred Tohlic Armoured Crawlers with more than nineteen hundred troops and dozens of Steornede Battlesuits travelling within them came at the downed dragon from the south across a wide snow blown plain. As they neared it it resembled a mythical beast more and more it wings rising out of the snow swept landscape and its long neck crooked at an angle to have its eye like portals gazing down upon the plain. The Tohlics dealt with the dunes of snow and ice with ease using their bulk to push through conditions which would have stopped most other military vehicles. It was at a distance of less than a mile when the secondary guns on the Dragon Ship began to rain shots upon the motorised column. Fortunately the atomic destabliser cannons which were meant for point defence against flying and space borne targets were not correctly orientated to be used against those on the ground. Only a few of the long barrelled energy weapons could be sighted correctly. Several Tohlics were destroyed; detonating in a spray of dissolving metal and flesh. The heavy armour of the Tohlic offered a lot of protection against anything but a direct hit and the column quickly got within the minimum firing arc of the cannons. From there the battle to take Invader Delta began in earnest.

Forming an armoured line the crawlers each disgorged a platoon of militia from the 37th or the 9th regiment or three battlesuits while a few disembarked gun crews who set up their Amber portable weapon platforms. The foe came forth from the broken hull of the Dragon Ship to meet the advancing Humans. Legionaries supported by Warlords and screened by screeching prancing Maligs poured out of the ship and advanced into the guns of the Planetary Militia and their transports. Though outnumbered greatly by the sheer weight of the enemy the firing line held firm and then opened up with Moth Rifles, Bodkin AP Rifles and the heavier Anda missile pods and rotary guns on their transports. The goblinoid Maligs were all but obliterated by the fusillade which ate into them in bloody carnage all along their advance. They died so that the better Legionaries behind them might close with protection as was their function. The battle lasted over an hour before the savaged remnants of the Khanate fell back into their star ship leaving most of their number dead on the churned and gore splattered snow. They re-entered the ship through four gashes in its hull and the Human forces followed them close on their heels.

With the battlesuits leading the way the 37th regiment focused on the leftmost breach and pushed their way in. Demolition troopers carried heavy charges with the intent of destroying the Dragon Ship. The sloping corridors and rooms of the alien craft rang with the sound of gun fire and detonation of grenades. The Khanate had kept back their best soldiers, the Nox, in their powered armour and they stalked the soldiers of Ismere as they sought out the core of the vessel. The troops of the 9th regiment entered at the tail of the ship and met with a hurricane of plasma fire from dozens of Psycoborgs which had been left there as a deterrent. They did not manage to push through this living metal barricade and those who survived ran screaming from the ship under the weird effects of the Psychoborgs upon their minds. Eventually after enduring hours of close quarter fighting and being stalked by Nox the veterans of the 37th regiment placed their demolition charges on what they thought were the power plants of the Dragon Ship. It became clear that they were trapped though and despite leaving hundreds of their fellows dead along their path those that remained knew they could not leave the charges unattended. There was little chance that they would survive the run back to the snows outside, with the Nox still hunting them, and that the charges could be deactivated as well.

In a final comms burst the Colonel leading the 37th relayed this news back to his commander in one of the Tohlics outside which were still firing on alien kill teams which were trying to infiltrate the line of large vehicles. With regret permission was given for a three minute count down and the column of armoured crawlers recalled the portable weapons and their crews still outside and then moved away from Invader Delta as quickly as they could. Three minutes later as the tracks of the Tohlics battered through drifting snow the Dragon Ship exploded as the combination of high explosive and maxi-imploder warheads which had been used as the demolition charges detonated. Everyone and everything within half a mile was obliterated and many of the crawlers were flipped by the intensity of the blast.

Invader Delta was gone and but was a hollow victory for the survivors as the now mostly empty vehicles of the column made their way back towards Ismere Starport. Reports of success elsewhere from Governor Tumault of Ismere spoke of a planet now devoid of the Shia Khan Empire. Faercycle II remained in Human hands and as long as it and the Prydian Precinct could prevail it would resist alien domination.

Ismere Starport, Faercyle II, Camarthen Cluster 4338 IC

Now at The Ion Age! New packs which have been added to the Planetary Militia part of the Prydian Army range. A brand new heavy vehicle and Cold Climes veterans.

IAF146 Tohlic Armoured Crawler

This code contains all the parts required to assemble one large 15mm scale long distance armoured personnel carrier. Used for deep recon it can carry an entire platoon of troops or three battlesuits or combinations thereof operating for weeks away from base. Favoured by Planetary Defence forces but also used by Muster and Retained on suitably frozen worlds the Tohlic is composed of nine parts cast in high quality grey tone resin and white metal.

These are the forward hull, the rear hull, the left track unit, the right track unit, exhaust mount 1, exhaust mount 2, Turret 1 (Anda Missile Pod) and Turret 2 (Moth Rotary Cannon). Supplied with two different turrets to use and since they use the standard turret ring they will also fit onto other Ion Age vehicles and structures.

This kit is easy to assemble and durable for use on table. When assembled the Tohlic is approx 105mm long and 40mm tall. Price 25.00GBP per pack. Go HERE.

IAF145 Cold Climes Veterans

This is the veteran troopers or sergeant poses for your Planetary Militia Cold Climes 15mm defence forces. Co-ordinate the efforts to keep civil law in place on your planet. This pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures wearing long coats including a Veteran with Hermit 44mm Plasma Rifle, a Veteran with Moth Rifle leaning forwards, Veteran bare headed with Moth Rifle, Veteran advancing with Moth Rifle and a casualty trooper laying face down. As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% option on the page. Price 2.50GBP per pack. Go HERE.