After Salute this year I was gifted a set of rules and a starter faction by a friend. A starter faction in 10mm… I have somewhere stored safely away upstairs, unplayed for many years, 3 full armies (with extras) for Epic 40k. Why would I need another tiny game?
That friend was being kind and generous because he wanted me to join him in investing in Dropzone Commander by Hawk Wargames. As it turns out, it is a really great game. The only problem seems to be that as I age, my eyesight finds tiny miniatures very hard to see. Now, that may make my painting look slightly better as I can’t see the mistakes, but does give me a headache after painting tiny shoulder pads on 30 or so wee fellows.
A small starter army for Dropzone Commander usually retails for £50 on a good day and gives you a couple of infantry platoons (6 stands), 2 APCs and a medium dropship. You also get 2 platoons of tanks and their own medium dropships. The starters are made from fine resin that gives great mould quality. My starter was from the 2 player boxed game and made up of their newer plastic range. Mould quality is equally good and they go together easier than the resin models in my experience. Side by side with resin equivalents they look and feel no different.
To get your hands on models to expand your army further, it does mean you have to go for the more expensive resin moulds. Any saving that the two player starter has made you is soon lost in the highly priced resin models. These resin moulds are exquisite though.
A simple colour scheme does them no justice and many better examples can be seen on other websites. Mine manage to look good purely due to the original beauty that even I cannot hide under paint.
The force now sits at about 2000 points and is flexible enough to be fielded at the mid to lower end of the game sizes suggested by the rules. My flyers are the latest purchase and please me every time I get them out to play.
Being a fan of scenery I have added to the existing card stock buildings that came with the game. N scale cars, all the way from an eBayer in China, and hedges made from clump foliage are soon to be joined by fruit trees and lamp posts from that faithful eBayer in China (they supplied the items post free in less time than UK suppliers can for £5 p+p)
Every Chinese supplier I have tried has proved, so far, to be honest and helpful!
So, for now, I have what I need… Soon though I will be tempted by more of Hawk Wargames models and another mortgage will be required!
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