Crazy 15mm Sci-Fi "The Itch I just had to scratch"

There comes a time when the irrational hankering gets the better of you and despite the apparent insanity of the idea, the appeal of it wins through. You simply give in. The shiny, shiny non-essential thing becomes an obvious necessity. So, quite openly, I will use this blog as a "confessional" in that I have been found completely wanting in 'iron resolve' and have shamelessly given in to an urge to purchase a small force of 15mm Science Fiction miniatures from Ground Zero Games (see GZG link).

My friends at Hartlepool Wargames Club exerted peer pressure (er, or rather just said "we already have some, you don't", which was all it really took) and hung out the carrot, "We are going to play some simple Sci-Fi games at the club are you in?" I think the rules are called 'Gruntz' (tbc) but more of that later, as the toys have literally just arrived! (see below, five packs, two troopes, one command, one infantry squad heavy weapons and one of missile/snipers):

The figures are a generic Sci-Fi type infantry troopers (their New Israeli range, er whatever (?), I just liked the shape their helmets) for a nebulous "future wars" era or 'In Space Somewhere' setting, "Good Guys" or "Bad Guys", I don't care, they looked cool to me! Why?

Well my hankering for a non-franchised (aka non-Star Wars, non-Star Trek and its variants, non-Aliens, non-Dr Who and non-GW figure range with accompanying strange mythos) has always been there since my adolescent experiences with a RPG called Traveller. Didn't everybody have a formative experience of a character with lousy stats that you put into the Scouts (with high chance if death in the pre-game persona build-up) to try and kill off, but by whimsical dice throwing became a 'super-character' with cool alien artefacts or mostly cyborg? Also if I don't get the figures now (as it is still within bounds of a late birthday present) I never, ever will!

First look at the first pack 'filed and flash' free (see below):

Note: They are also on End of Summer special offer (ending 30th September 2014, honest I am getting no commission here) where you get "Five for Four" packs.