Xenos Rampart Project.

Regular readers will be aware that I hate putting together multi-part plastic figures. They do, however, have one great advantage and that is for “kit bashing”. I had an idea and bought a box of of Wargames Atlantic Lizardmen.

I had received a whole lot of sprue freebies with purchases and magazines over the years and would use these for the kit bashing I required. What I needed was a back story to base the army on, and so this post was born.

Travels with my Father

The year is 2073 and it is three months since we have left the fringes of the Interplanetary Alliance’s control. The planetary system of “Ascalabotes” looms large ahead of us. The system consists of a major planet with a number of moons all habitable, covered with jungles and large waterways.

The largest moon, “Civitas Lacerta” is almost totally covered by a sprawling metropolis with large jungle parks, waterways criss-crossing the city and a very high tech industrial area, known galaxy wide for its production of specialist high-end military hardware.

It is this moon that we are headed for and in particular to the space port closest to the Interplanetary Alliance’s Embassy. As usual we are to be hosted by the ambassador.

Father has indicated that we will be here for only a few days but I will need to entertain myself as we will be busy away from the embassy. I always felt it strange that as a “Political Adviser” for the Interplanetary Alliance he seemed to spend very little time in the embassies when on planet.

The planetary system of “Ascalabotes is an ideal place to see the evolution of species in action. Once thought to be totally different species the inhabitants of the system have since been found to be the same species, but at various stages of their evolutionary life cycle.

In a passing discussion with the ambassador he indicated that the Ascalabotian army was an ideal place to observe a microcosm of the evolutionary process in action. Showing me to a passageway with photos of the Ascalabotian army. He indicated that the various evolutionary stages all had significant advantages should the right role be found for them.

I was intrigued at his suggestion that higher lifeforms could be attracted to military service, which seemed to be opposite to the empirical evidence!

The large planet of Tonitrua Lacertis has the largest but also the most primitive population. Living in small tribes the primitives are protected from predators by the “Alveare Domini”, a large predator that roams the surface in search of prey, but seems to have a psychic link to the Tonitrua.

“Alveare Domini”

The figure is that of a part-painted Zombicide Crocosaur. She will be painted and based in due course. The Crocosaur will be used as a Greater Xenomorph. I have some toy crocodiles, which are still large for 28mm, that will do as lesser Xenomorphs if needed.

The Tonitrua communicate in primitive grunts and signs. It seems that the military elite, from whom the army leaders are chosen, have developed and evolved into psychic beings who can communicate with both the Tonitrua primitives and the Alveare Domini. The Alveare seems to have a hive control over these primitives. If controlled by either a Psychic leader or the Alveare Domini they could provide hordes of fierce and fanatical warriors.

I think this is a CP Models figure from their alien range. Looks like a nice “lizardy” psychic to me!

Leaders can become a separate unit, but are normally chosen as part of a squad.

I have painted up one figure of each unit as a sample. Here is a primitive Tonitrua.

These are classed as primitive Infantry and can be upgraded from a squad of five to ten or even fifteen. I have put together fifteen as they are quite vulnerable. They could also be used as Berserk Infantry as an alternative.

Some Tonitrua had progressed further along the evolutionary lifecycle and had developed the use of the common language and with their innate hunting skills were excellent scouts and recon units.

They can use primitive firearms.

The population of Second and largest moon “Lacertae Secondus” are significantly more advanced than the Tonitrua. The moon has begun to develop economically and provides excellent light infantry. There is little difference between the more advanced infantry generally only separated by their economic and scientific advancement and larger brains.

Secundian Light Infantry

Light Infantry can be fielded in groups of five or ten. I have chosen to have the option of two five man units or one ten man.

Showing me a picture of a soldier in heavy armour the Ambassador said “Gravibus Lacertae, the third and last moon has developed pressurized heavy army that it supplies to all of its citizen soldiers’.

These are you stock standard infantry. These have been equipped with missile launchers representing their “Heavy weapon” ability. Note the squad has this ability not just the figure as they are just representative of the units skills and equipment. Again they can be fielded in squads of five or ten.

The ambassador then started to describe the Elite Infantry that have the best of all equipment and training available. He said “these are not the best in the Acalabotian Army, they are the best in the Galaxy”! There role is to protect the Military Elite and to break through the enemy defences when others have failed.

Just as he finished the door thrust open and some of these “best in the galaxy” threw my father at the feet of the ambassador. “This spy says he has diplomatic immunity from the Interplanetary Alliance! Is this correct” said what appeared to be their leader. The Ambassador declared that he had and showed them documentary evidence as proof. “Then have him leave NOW and never return”.

The Elite come only in units of five.

As they are Elites I have given them really BIG guns!

With that we were bundled off to the launch bay and quickly departed. After several minutes of uncomfortable silence Father turned to me and said, “My daughter I suppose you need an explanation………….”

There are fifty figures and the Crocosaur of which only the handful you have seen are painted. I will get these finished in between the WW2 Australians.