If you’re a fan of classic sci-fi, riveted tanks, and monstrous aliens, but bounced hard off Warhammer 40k, check out All Quiet on the Martian Front: Return of the Tripods by Abby Normal Media. The second edition of the 15mm wargame is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter, with a new rulebook and resculpted miniatures available in both physical and digital formats.
Those new miniatures are really something. As inveterate Warhammer 40k players we can’t help but see how they could be used as proxies in various Warhammer 40k factions; you’d just need to upscale the 3D models before printing them. The larger German tanks would look right at home in an Astra Militarum army, while the different kinds of Tripod would make for funky alternatives to Adeptus Mechanicus, Necrons, or even Tyranids units.
The Kickstarter for Return of the Tripods is open until 6pm PT / 9pm EST on November 29, or 1am GMT on November 30. You can pledge for a printed and digital copy of the core rules for $60, while the $95 ‘First Encounter’ pledge comes with digital rules and resin starter armies for both Germans and Martians. There’s a $175 pledge to receive STLs of the entire miniature range for both factions, though you’ll need access to a 3D printer.
Quickstart rules for the game are available from the Kickstarter page, and this YouTube video by Through Gamer Goggle records a demo game from the game’s first edition launch, which gives a quick rundown of the basics:
15mm is a great miniature scale for putting large forces on the table, without making large units like tanks and tripods feel insubstantial. The main small-scale wargame that Wargamer is waiting for news of at the moment is Legions Imperialis, to the extent that we’re building custom terrain in anticipation. Check out our Legions Imperialis terrain guide for recommendations on building your own small-scale scenery collection.