Miniatures Finished: Centurions Reborn! (Part I)

For my Ultimate Alliance Annihilation game I ran years ago, I had a collection of "Centurions" to play as antagonists, but over the years many ended up being cannibalised for other projects. Looking down the barrel of actually being able to run my long-planned Annihilation campaign, I decided to get the idea going again.

Super-powered beings drawn from 100 worlds in the Negative Zone, many of the Centurions are not loyal to Annhihilus, but have not choice but to fight. 

 

I'm not sure if I'll be doing a full 100 Centurions, but for now I'm just repainting loose Heroclix with interesting sculpts that aren't famous heroes in their own rights. 

 

Another advantage of using old Heroclix is that they can just be kept in a box without taking too much damage and I don't mind if they're lost or broken during a display game.

Ultimate Alliance Annihilation - Prelude I

The chromed gleam of Ulysses' iconic skull helmet was reflected in the view window of the bathyspheroid as he gazed out onto the edge of a nearby universe. A relic of an adventure long-past, the bathyspheroid was a unique, alchemically-powered machine that enabled a small crew to "dive" through multiversal boundaries and peer into a reality without entering it fully. The size of an average caravan, with only a kitchenette and marine style bathroom, the bathyspheroid was designed for two people at most, but today, five were standing in it's brass-heavy, but tastefully understated interior, taking in the sight through the view window. Made of a section of a massive, flawless diamond, the technology of the bathyspheroid placed a molecules-thick sliver of the window into the "target" reality, allowing observation and only risking being spotted by those with microscopic vision. 

Joining Ulysses on the bathyspheriod was a small collection of his most loyal advisors, drawn from both his Hussars and Cataphractii; he had brought them here to witness the beginning of the end. Though most realities were finite in nature, few had an edge or boundary in the way most imagined it, the current example of "The Crunch" being a typical example; a scar of energy across empty space where another universe pushed into this one. Built around this event horizon was The Kyln, an impossibly ancient and cyclopean structure of unknown origin and purpose, currently used as combination power generator and prison for the inhabitants of the Andromeda galaxy. Ulysses raised one hand, palm up, his suit generating a holographic display buzzing with information and analytics, but dominated by a countdown, implying that something was only minutes away from beginning.

At a verbal command from Ulysses, a retrofitted databank began to record the scene outside the view window. The mood inside the bathyspheriod shifted from tense anticipation to muted horror as the Kyln was ripped apart by an explosion the size of a solar system. Though sound did not travel through the vacuum of space, the view window vibrated slightly as the reality they watched trembled, almost as in anticipation, or revulsion. Even at the cosmic distance Ulysses and his companions were from the Crunch, they could see the change that came over it as something ripped through from another reality. The amorphous blob of sickly green that pushed through the multiversal boundary slowly resolved as it spread into the invaded reality, revealing billions of living ships, devouring all in their path. 

"It comes, and there is no escape," Ulysses broke the silence, "he has come, the Living Death That Walks. Annihilus is here." 
 

Superhero Media: Annihilation

One of the biggest events to ever hit Marvel Comics, at least in term of impact, is one that many have never heard of, Annihilation. When Annihilus and his army punch into the 616 Universe, the Nova Corps, Skrull Empire and Omega Corps are wiped out immediately, and only a handful of Cosmic heroes remain to fight back against an endless wave of death. Published at the same time as Civil War, Annihilation never garnered as much interest, but as an event, would have a much longer legacy; namely, the rebirth of "Marvel Cosmic". Birthed through the tireless work of Jim Starlin in the 1970s and 80s, Marvel Cosmic is the expansive 616 universe beyond the confines of Earth, and brings us characters as vital to the Marvel brand as Thanos, Captain Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Until the publication of Annihilation, most of these characters had languished in obscurity for years, but with sharp writing and a universe-upending story, Nova, Drax the Destroyer, Thanos, Starlord, Gamora and others were thrust back into relevance. 

Across three volumes, a cosmic war of epic scale is fought, with the narrative woven around Nova (Richard Rider), Silver Surfer, Ronan the Accuser and Super-Skrull, with a massive supporting cast of old classics and new characters, with some really deep cuts; Stellaris and Morg, anyone? Like most event comics, Annihilation varies in quality depending on the artists and writers working on each issue, but the main comics, as well as the lead-in stories dealing with Nova and Drax, are excellent. I could honestly use up the rest of my space just listing the awesome moments in the series, like Galactus screaming for blood and he wipes out an Annihilation fleet, Ronan smashing the Universal Weapon over Ravenous' head and Starlord lamenting not having any super-powers in the middle of a fight, but I'd quickly stray into spoiler territory and you really should read this one for yourself. Few superhero stories I've read really manage to parse the difference in power between characters as well as Annihilation, with Drax and Gamora being incredibly deadly when compared to a human, but not being able to hold a candle to the Heralds or Seekers. 

Of course, Annihilation is a major inspiration for my own games, with my eventual goal to run a, very long, series of games telling the story, but including all of the non-Marvel heroes I have along the way. In fact, I'm only waiting on a handful of minis to get the ball rolling, but finding some of the characters is a major pain. Chasing down 3D prints and commissioning sculpts is time-consuming and expensive, but hopefully, I'll be there one day soon. The follow-ons to Annihilation vary in quality, from the excellent Conquest to the lazy Thanos Imperative, but the original remains excellent and one of the best introductions to Marvel Cosmic out there. The best known legacy of Annihilation, of course, is The Guardians of the Galaxy film series, which is based on a reboot of that comic which spun out of this event, with the new version of Drax being born in the run-up to the coming of the Wave. Hopefully, there will be a version of Annihilation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at some point, but if it will have all of the lore and references of the original, only time will tell. Until then, grab yourself a copy of this and get reading.

Ultimate Alliance: China - Part II

A longstanding colony of the waning British Empire, Hong Kong often found itself between two worlds, culturally, politically and also in terms of its people. MI-13 had been concerned with the mystical aspects of the Chinese mainland, as well as the growing number of giant monster, or "Kaiju", attacks on nearby Japan, but lacked the resources to implement any permanent defense network against such threats. When the Japanese started to fight back against their own Kaiju with the Super Sentai Teams and Ultraman Project, Hong Kong science and military personnel began work on their own version, drawing as much from the American "Six Million Dollar Man" as much as the Japanese programmes and code-named Project: Inframan. Due to budget constraints, the project never came to fruition and by 1974 was shelved and all-but-forgotten. In 1975, however, Hong Kong was rocked by the attack of Dragon Mother and her Monster Legion and Science Officer Rayma became Inframan to defend his homeland.

After the Monster Legion was defeated, it was found, as suspected, that Rayma could not be separated from the Inframan parts, and though the stoic young man took it in stride, the loss of his old life was a grave one. For several years, Inframan was experimentally deployed at part of the Hong Kong Police, but as the machine parts of his body wore down, they became less controllable and several incidents of property damage and injury of suspects resulted in the trial being terminated permanently. With nothing to do and no reliable way to be repaired back to full function, Rayma reluctantly agreed to be "switched off" for the foreseeable future, until such a time as Inframan was needed or he could be returned to being human. Decades past, and Inframan was eventually forgotten, left to collect dust in a government laboratory and often considered a myth or hoax by those who had never seen him in action. 

When the 2019 Hong Kong Riots started, Black Bat, aka Cassandra Cain, former Batgirl and member of Batman Incorporated, immediately took a stand against the totalitarian actions of the government, working from the shadows to aid the protesters and harry police. As the situation worsened and Chinese troops massed on the border, Black Bat reached out to the broader superhero community, but received no aid from her peers wanting to avoid aggravating the Great Ten and creating an international incident. However, Black Bat had one vital ally that, according to most of the world, didn't exist; Oracle. With almost unparalleled hacking skill, Oracle dove into the secret history of Hong Kong's superhumans, quickly finding the story of Inframan and the resting place of Science Officer Rayma, still in suspended animation and long forgotten.

Breaking in to a secure, but abandoned, facility was no struggle for the daughter of Cain and former Batgirl, but even after following Oracle's instructions to reactivate Inframan, the real work had only just begun. Having been "sleeping" since the 1980s, Rayma was disorientated and unwilling to believe that it was now well into the 21st century, let alone that Hong Kong was Chinese territory and troops had started moving in. When Rayma saw the riots for himself, and the accompanying youth movement for Independence and a free Hong Kong, he quickly made up his mind on what to do with his new lease on life. Out of date, somewhat broken and lost in a world not his own, Super Inframan had returned to defend Hong Kong once more.

Ultimate Alliance: China - Part I

Jimmy Woo, Agent of SHIELD, shot his cuff-links as he stepped from the plane, it had been a long time since he stepped on Chinese soil, and the grim memories of his last days in the FBI and tangling with the Yellow Claw were not fond ones. Although the mainland was a distance away from Honk Kong International Airport, the spectre of Beijing's increasing control could be felt in the number of sharp-suited "escorts" that were awaiting the lone agent of SHIELD. In fact, the only person in the vicinity not wearing the kind of hard-wearing yet well-fitted suit favoured by intelligence workers the world over was in a garish and anachronistic silk affair, he was the man Agent Woo was here to meet, and his code-name was Accomplished Perfect Physician. 

After a brief and formal greeting, Jimmy Woo and Accomplished Perfect Physician were quickly whisked by town car to a government building looking out upon Hong Kong from such a height, the streets looked clean and well-ordered. Tea was served in the traditional style and Jimmy Woo waited a full five minutes silently before speaking. 

"I thank the Government of the People's Republic for allowing my visit and hearing my request," Woo reached for his holographic projector but was stopped by a wave from Accomplished Perfect Physician. 

"That won't be necessary, Agent Woo," Accomplished Perfect Physician sidestepped any response, "I am here on behalf of the People's Government to inform you that they are already aware of this, so called 'Annihilation Wave' your superiors are concerned about and do not require outside assistance." 

"You don't require outside assistance," Woo's professional approach slipped for a moment, "for a world-ending threat?" Accomplished Perfect Physician shook his head and Jimmy Woo practically had to pick his jaw up off the floor. 

"It is the opinion of my government," Accomplished Perfect Physician continued, "that our own extra-normal assets shall be more than adequate to meet the threat." 

"Really?" Jimmy Wood had to suppress a smile, "Because my intelligence indicates that you can count your active 'extra-normals' on one hand." He was rewarded by a mighty twitch on Accomplished Perfect Physician's face. 

"Whilst it is true we are short a couple of our operatives..." 

"Short?" Jimmy Woo wasn't going to let up now that he had the Chinese representative on the back foot, "It is known to SHIELD that only two of The Great Ten, yourself and Thundermind, are combat-ready after Black Adam's attack on Oolong Island. Crimson Dynamo is serving a stint on The Raft and Radioactive Man is currently in the Thunderbolts. You're scrambling reserve members of The Great Ten, but Yeti being cleared is unlikely and The Collective Man are pushing fifty. Anything I missed?" 

Accomplished Perfect Physician was quiet a moment, contemplating the braggadocio of the young SHIELD Agent in front of him. With a barely perceptible flick of his head, Accomplished Perfect Physician tapped his ear and slid his eyes towards the door. Understanding, Jimmy Woo flicked a hidden switch on his watch and waited for a light to come on before continuing to talk. 

"That should buy us five minutes of privacy," Woo was accustomed to having to cover for 'real talk' on such missions, "what's actually happening here?" 

Accomplished Perfect Physician quickly explained the panic that the Central Government was in with continued unrest in Hong Kong and the loss of most of their superhuman assets; despite the huge population of China, comparatively few super-powered individuals appeared, especially when compared to the United States. A few "masked vigilante" types, Masked Warrior, Red Dragon and Blackbat operated, but most were based in Hong Kong and had no ties to the Central Government. 

"China needs heroes, Agent Woo," Accomplished Perfect Physician was downcast, "and we're not finding them. That's why I'm here in Hong Kong, we're looking for a hero from the past." 

"Of course," Woo nodded thoughtfully, "Super Inframan."

What mysterious dealings are going on in the Far East? Can Agent Jimmy Woo entice the People's Republic to stand with the rest of the world against the Annihilation Wave? Who will survive and what will be left of them? Tune in next time to find out, true believer! 

Miniatures Finished: Wave 1

Been steadily working on my Annihilation wave so that I can use the collection as a Veer Min army for Firefight. 

 "Nightmares", heavy infantry with a variety of weapons, converted Heroclix Hulks. 

 "Maligni", veteran infantry, Mantic Dreadball teams. 

 Maligni special weapons, converted Mantic. 

 "Night Terrors", giant killer monsters that hide in infantry units, kitbashed from Tyranids and Chaos Spawn. 

I'm hoping to do a few more games in the near future where I use systems like Firefight, Lion Rampant and Black Ops to play Supers games, which is why these bugs got a new coat of paint. Stay tuned!

Miniatures Finished: Centurions/Space Heroes/Alien Civilians

Apologies, as you've seen half of these before, but now the group is finished: 

 The Centurions are Annihilus' army of 100 super-powered beings, forced into his service by the shrinking and dying Negative Zone. These minis are all various spare Clix I had in my collection, given interesting paint jobs. 

 Much as is my style, these colourful aliens can pull triple duty, as they will form a generic "Space" team for SuperSystem, allowing me to try out power combinations that don't fit my other teams. 

 As for their final role, they can work as Alien civilians in a wide range of games. Not bad for something I had laying around. 

 

Annihilation Day +2

Some more shots of the fun: 

That's all I have for the moment, if I find any more, I'll be sure to post them.

Annihilation Day +1

Some more pictures have surfaced of the battle for Hero City: 

Annihilation Day

Well, yesterday was the culmination of all my hard work and, I have to say, it was a ball. I think I had about a dozen players throughout the day, but I was so busy that I didn't get too many photos. Not such a tragedy, as the light in the venue was poor. 

 On the way in, Galactus is my co-pilot. 

 The selection of heroes. 

 The Annihilation wave. 

 The Universal unmaker. 

 Some shots of the set up. 

 I was pleasantly surprised by the character selections on the day; the first four up were Tomar Re, Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), The Vision and Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze). 

 Don't have many in-game shots, so this will be more of a highlight reel than an actual AAR. 

 The spirit of Vengeance tackles the Head Seeker of Annihilus. 

 Tomar Re zips around the rooftops, rescuing civilians with the aid of his power ring. 

 The wave devours everything in its path. 

 A super-powered tussle breaks out in front of the comic store. 

 The shot of the day, as Zatana takes down Judge Fear with her fists alone.

 Gamera, defender of the Earth, arrives to battle the threat. 

 Annihilation drones, Gamera, Judge Fire and Aquaman's octopus engage in a grand melee. 

 Giant Man and Thanos play catch with a truck. 

 Giant Man is no match for the Death that Walks. 

Judge Death fails three turns in a row to kill an unarmed homeless man. 

More to come when I have it.