Gettin' in (Heavy) Gear

 o/

A Warrior IV. This was one of my first purchases and as it turns out...it wasn't the model I actually wanted. Oh well.

Yes, yes...as mentioned previously I'm revisiting an old, dead game that I got rid of way back in 2015. However, Heavy Gear seems to have had some new life breathed into it here of late. My buddies Rob and Scott have been playing this fairly frequently and I've heard that a few other folks are looking into it as well. 

I have the rule book (a printed out PDF) as well as the unit compendium (non-printed PDF), and 8 Gears built, with another 5 on the way. Currently, my forces as built clock in at 65pts, which is a bit over the minimum 50pts for a skirmish game. The Gears I have on order will round my little army up to 100pts., which is more or less the average game size. 

The convoluted rules that have plagued Heavy Gear in the past have supposedly been majorly simplified in this 3rd edition, but they don't read too much like it to me (not that they do in most any gaming rule book that i read...). Rob & Scott seem to have 'em figured out, and are still playing. That's what I was waiting for before throwing my hat into the ring.

Once that Warrior IV wanders off to take on the role of unit duelist (it's a thing in the HGB universe), this Strike section will become instead a GP section with a lower grade gear taking it's place.

Similarly, the Metal Cat (far left) and Ferret (far right) will join two incoming Iguanas to form a Recon section, and be replaced with two GP gears with Light Bazookas (or something similar) like the two Chasseurs in the middle. 

My favorite faction has always been the desert dwelling Badlanders, and as such my Gears are a mishmash of units from the major powers of Terra Nova (the games's principle setting). Gears from Peace River and NuCoal(-ition) are the most common (once my new arrivals get here that is) with a smattering of Gears from the Polar Nations as well. 

For those not familiar with the background, Peace River and NuCoal are two newer,  'nation-states' that have formed in the equatorial desert known as the badlands. As such they tend to support smaller independent settlements in hopes of building relationships and more importantly, securing buyers for their wares. Whereas the Gears coming from the northern and southern factions/suppliers are more likely repaired battlefield salvage, 2nd or 3rd hand purchases, or else Northern/Southern deserters and their rides.

Anyways, in total I'll have 13 Gears @ 100pts., one each of Recon, General Purpose and Fire Support sections along with an independent duelist (the Warrior IV from the top pic). Being from an as-yet unidentified minor faction, their equipment tends to be obsolete simpler, older and more robust. 

Recon Gears aside, all the rest are variations of the basic gears of all of the major factions allowing for the ease of repair and replacement parts and more commonly available ammo types. All of which are essential when considering that these are both isolated and cash strapped Badlanders. 

I'll hopefully add infantry and armor in time...to add in some variation assuming this actually takes off and we start playing regularly.