Israel in Tomorrow´s War

Many years ago I´ve brought two small New Israeli space ships from GZG just for fun / hoping that someday I will play with them. I´ve created some small fluff for the marines serving aboard these ships. Of course this was for Full Thrust setting, but Israel in space can be exported to various other sci-fi settings.
Since I´ve decided upon playing Tomorrow´s War rules, it is rather obvious that I wish to follow their setting.

The Beginning. This is no pile of shame, but GZG New Israel fresh from package. 

Israel

Israel expanded into space along their allies from USA and EU and colonized few small planets and asteroids of no big importance. Not long after the First Glory War they colonized New Eilat, an Earth-like planet. Due to the long-lasting political instability in the Middle East, Israel moved most of its industrial and research assets to New Eilat.

Even though Israel did not bough a piece of land on Glory as almost every other big player, an influential diaspora of European Jews did. They founded a state named Shtetl on Glory. Shtetl keeps a small professional army and local militia but is under Israeli protection. This means that Israel forces are frequently deployed on Glory. And on the forefront stood the Mobile Infantry regiments an elite strike force of the Israel Navy.

Command element of the Mobile Infantry platoon in KOFA combat armour

Israel Mobile Infantry

The Mobile Infantry Platoon is part of the Mobile Infantry Regiments (MIR or גדוד חיל רגלים נייד) serving under the Israeli Navy (IN).

Their main task is to handle both void-combat and ground-based operations.

With duties ranging from boarding actions in space to quick hit-and-run missions on the ground, they are the backbone of the NIN.

A platoon is a small combat unit, easily transported by any IN spaceship and deployed at once by a dedicated dropship. 

Their weapons and support elements enable them to deal with any obstacle, ranging from armour, through well-trained infantry to even aerial threats.

The MIR has access to the latest technology of Israel’s military industry as they are on the forefront of most military operations.

Their most characteristic mark is the KOFA combat armour, which can be used both in void and atmospheric conditions.

The KOFA armour offers considerable protection, enhances its wearer´s carrying capacity and strength and comes with onboard Medical AI and casualty assist gear.

A platoon is formed by 36 infantrymen in 4 APCs (8 crew) and 14 crew in 6 support vehicles.

It also contains 2 UAVs, 4 autonomous MULEs and a variable number of smaller drones.

The crew can and will fight if needed, as they went through the same training as the infantrymen. They also frequently rotate within the regiment in crew / infantrymen roles. They all wear KOFA power armour.

This force can be deployed in one go by a single “Khaver” dropship and is the smallest tactical unit transported on IN ships.

Mobile Infantry Platoon Platoon Organization

Command Squad

3x Mobile Squad

Support Element

Command Squad

“Achzarit” APC

Driver with TIWI-cTAR 83

Gunner with TIWI-cTAR 83

Lieutenant with TIWI-cTAR 83

Medic with TIWI-cTAR 83

Coms Operator with TIWI-TAR 83

Specialist with YET-MPPC*

Rifleman with TIWI-cTAR 83

Specialist with GDS-Egroph 5*

Rifleman with TIWI-cTAR 83

Specialist with GDS-Egroph 5*

Rifleman with TIWI-cTAR 83

*heavy weapon team with one operator and one rifleman. In void-combat they use special engineer weapons instead of heavy weapons.

Command squad deployed on Glory

3x Assault Squad

“Achzarit” APC

Driver with TIWI-cTAR 83

Gunner with TIWI-cTAR 83

Sergeant with TIWI-gTAR 83*

Coms Operator with TIWI-TAR 83

Rifleman with TIWI-TAR 83

Marksman with TIWI-sTAR 83

Specialist with TIWI-GSR 5

Team Leader with TIWI-gTAR 83

Rifleman with TIWI-TAR 83

Rifleman with TIWI-TAR 83

Grenadier with TIWI-TAR 83 and GDS-Hutra 3

Support Element

2x “Akhot” Recon Bike

Pathfinder with TIWI-cTAR 83

2x “Namer” Mobile Gun Support

Commander with TIWI-cTAR 83

Crew with TIWI-cTAR 83

Crew with TIWI-cTAR 83

2x “Sholef” Missile Support

Commander with TIWI-cTAR 83

Crew with TIWI-cTAR 83

Crew with TIWI-cTAR 83

2x “Beitsa” Drone transported by Missile Support. Operated by Coms Operators.

14x “Dror” Drone transported by APC

Operated by Coms Operators.

4x “Preda” MULE

*a note to squad composition during the boarding actions or when vehicles are not available:
- drivers and gunners of the "Achzarit" APC will joint their squads 
- crew of "Namer" and "Sholef" AFVs will form their own squad along with "Akhot" bikers 

Weapons

TIWI-TAR 83:

Standard assault rifle of Mobile Infantry Regiments.

Equipped with advanced optics, HUD link, gun camera and TAG (Target Acquisition and Guidance – a target designator for air, artillery, or orbital strikes) unit.

The gun itself have a decent rate of fire so Assault squads can exchange SAWs for other weapons.

TIWI-cTAR 83:

A compact, short-barrel variant intended for Command squads and vehicle crews.

TIWI-gTAR 83:

TAR 83 equipped by under-barrel semi-automatic grenade launcher with auto loader.

TIWI-sTAR 83:

Longer variant with better optics or squad dedicated marksman.

TIWI-GSR 5:

Gauss-based, semi-automatic sniper rifle.

A man-portable gauss gun, which fires a .50 calibre, super-dense penetrator at hyper-velocity. Capable of killing AFS (Armoured Fighting Suits) with one shot and causing combat ineffectiveness on full-sized AFVs (Armoured Fighting Vehicles)

This weapon has been used successfully in both sniper and anti-material roles.

GDS-Hutra 3:

This man-portable light missile launcher utilizes a launch system with advanced sensors and targeting capabilities. The missile can be used as a “fire-and-forget” ATGM, HE, Thermobaric or AA.

TIWI-Negev 33:

Standard SAW of Israeli Defence Forces.

A fully automatic weapon based on gauss technology, utilizing .30 calibre ammunition.

Equipped with advanced optics, HUD link, gun camera and bipod.

GDS-Egroph 5:

Heavy missile system designed for AT and AA roles commonly found on vehicles, but also available in a man-portable version for platoon support.

Also has both HE and thermobaric capabilities.

YET-MPPC:

The standard medium plasma support weapon of Israeli Defence Forces. Highly effective in both anti-personnel and anti-tank mode.

TIWI (Trinity-Israel Weapon Industries)

GDS (Gabriel Defence Systems)

YET (Yitzchak Energy Technologies)

And this is it so far, will add vehicles later

The Stars are right over Congo

I wanted to start some 19th century historical project, just to try something completely different to sci-fi and fantasy setting I normally collect and paint. I could not decide between Napoleonic or Victorian theme, but since I don´t necessary want to paint a lot of soldiers and somehow hate system which are not 1:1 on soldiers scale, Napoleonic went rather quickly out of my interest.
I do like romanticized picture of that era, do like the La Belle Époque visual and mindset and what is more important, this era do have plenty of plastic models I can use. Last thing to decide was The Men that Would be Kings or Congo?
We (me and a friend) picked Congo as there is a lot of flavor and rather small armies to paint. And I had a great idea how to pull my friend into the game - you can Lovecraft it up a bit. And perhaps we can still jump into The Men that Would be Kings later on.

So, step into the Dark Africa, should we?

Gardner-Crozier expedition, Congo, late 19th Century 

The expedition was launched in London upon discovery of professor´s Francis Dupont diary and few letters from certain Gaston Durant who is now living in Congo. Founding was provided by various benefactors both from Empire and from United States of America, especially few wealthy and old families from New England.

Professor Charles Gardner 
Born and raised in rural New England, he studied at Miscatonic University and later fought in the Civil War. After his return home, he was forced to flee the USA and so he ended up in London. Here he assembled the Gardner-Crozier expedition.

Colonel Randolph Percy Crozier
He was born into a family of explorers and adventurers. Very soon he decided to continue this tradition and while in the service of Her Majesty the Queen in Canada, Crozier spent a few months with the natives. There he found a few weird artifacts, which the natives considered sacred. However, they would not say the name of the deity the artifacts were connected to.
Later, when he returned to Britain, he attended the lecture of Professor Charles Gardner and was surprised to hear the Professor speaking of similar artifacts hidden deep in dark Africa. How could these African artifacts be so similar to those Crozier found on King William Island? Well, he would make it his life's mission to find out.

Reporter Paul Schlesinger

He is the second member of the expedition who came from United States. He is an immigrant from Austro-Hungarian Empire who quickly gained prestige working for Boston Times newspaper. He was approached by Arkham Daily to follow the steps of professor Gardner. He quickly agreed for this could be greatest story ever told about the few american expeditions into Africa. And then, there are those dreams...

Sir Thomas Brimstone

Once a renowned archeologist who is now shunned by his peers in the Royal Society due to his recent incredible discoveries that are not only unbelievable, but are stretching the borders of rationality.

These four brave men of science and reason are accompanied by a small but determined unit of soldiers of Her Majesty.

Officer Hector Layton

Officer Ewan Tully

Unit of Sikh soldiers under the command of Nirban Panwaria

 “Pepo” the donkey and “Lopi” the dog

And that´s it so far. There is a mysterious tribe hidden deep in the jungle as well as Belgians ready to unearth more secrets. But that will be the topic for next journeys into the story.