MOAB 2025 - Mother Of All Battles this October long weekend

 MOAB 2025

Once again, this long weekend, MOAB has returned for 2025 thanks to the Sutherland Shire Gamers association. 

Though the numbers may seem a little down from last year, the event is actually spread across a few floors and other buildings. So, numbers are the same in my view. Just spread over a wider space. The Bring and Buy was packed, as usual, and I managed to spend more than I should have. But I did get some nice classics. But that's for another post.

However, here are some of the games and exhibitors present this weekend.

This area was a WW2 skirmish game by TwoFatLardies if I remember correctly. The table here caught my eye for its impact and detail.

This was an Old World Warhammer game. The Shoggothy thing in the middle really caught my eye. Interestingly, Warhammer (AOS / Old World) has been supported heavily in previous games. This year however, it was relegated to the mezzanine level over the main hall and there were probably only twelve tables being played.

Star Wars Shatterpoint / Legion was way more popular as far as I could tell. I also didn't see a single Warhammer 40k table in the main hall. But those tables may have been either on the stage or in one of the other buildings where Marvel Crisis Protocol was being played last year's MOAB. AOS and 40k usually dominate. But they were visible by their clear absence from the main gaming space. That said, the Bring and Buy sections had heaps of Warhammer 40k and AOS / Old World for sale. So maybe there's been a bit of a falling out of love for Games Workshop of late.

This was a massive game of Sword & Spear in the centre of the main hall. There were other historical games being played on the level below the main hall.

Fjord Serpents Vikings at War was up for sale here and being shown off with a demo game. The demo models are eye catching also. You can get it from the web site or from OCKER Games.

Star Wars Shtterpoint and Legion was front and centre in the main hall on Saturday. Very popular. The terrain here is from the excellent Brutal Cities MDF terrain maker.

Bolt Action was also a key game played in the main hall. Bloodbowl had a few games going on as well. The buildings above are from Dark Castle Terrain. I've bought a stack of MDF stuff from their store in the past and its great price and quality. Check them out.

Now THIS seller is top notch. I was tempted to buy some of their orcs, but I have too many orcs already. Can you have too many orcs? But these would fit in easily in any Middle-earth setting and have the feel of the classic Ral Partha style of miniature. They were about $18 for four miniatures and look fantastic. Currently they are doing classic Fantasy, Medieval and Australian Army in WWII. Give Medbury Miniatures a drop by to view their excellent miniatures.

Slave2Gaming was present as well. They were demonstrating their MA.K 15mm game and miniatures. Last MOAB I bought a whole bunch of the 15mm minis for the Grunts15mm ruleset. Again, top notch miniatures and some fun Elvis and Alien Overlords stuff. Their goblins I really like as well.

This independent seller is Ex Manus Studios and is a one-man operation that makes some truly wonderful miniatures that make for fantasy and steampunk style adventurers. I have a few of his miniatures that I use for my Roleplaying group, and I can't praise them enough.

I bought three sets of these little Gembot Work Crew models. You can see two above in the front row. They would work great for 28mm to 10mm, even Epic scale. They come in packs of three with the other sculpt holding a shovel. They make for great automaton miners that can be pesky nuisances for the player characters if they try to steal their gems.

Finally, here are some shots of the painting competition. Apologies for the frosty images as these were all behind glass and it was hard to get a decent shot without some reflections getting in the way.

So, there you go. Got there for Saturday. But it's on all long weekend. And, of course, I spent too much as usual.

ShireCon 2025 is on this weekend

 

ShireCon is on again for 2025. ShireCon is an annual tabletop gaming convention run by the Sutherland Shire Gamers. Now in its third year, if I remember correctly, it's becoming bigger with each year. Sutherland Shire Gamers run the excellent MOAB convention every year and ShireCon is certainly becoming a second success for them on the gaming calendar.

This year, Slave2Gaming is in attendance with a small selection from their shop. Slave2Gaming has some excellent 15mm sci-fi miniatures for Ma.K 15mm that I use for other games, such as Gruntz15mm and Starship Troopers. This ShireCon, the Slave2Gaming team have brought their Ma.K 15mm sci-fi range and these are masterful sculpts.

Apart from the plethora of 40K and Warhammer Fantasy games, there were some others that caught my eye.

A demo game of the sci-fi 15mm Ma.K under way

For a couple of years now, Slave2Gaming have been running Ma.K 15mm gaming convention where the rules for the game get play tested out. You can find out more here. That will be on again for the 14th June.

More Ma.K goodness

I can't remember what rules were being used for this Battle of Ramillies game, sorry.

Broadside - Empires of Steel

Broadside is a new WW1 Dreadnaught era game using 3D printed battleships. The scale is a little too large for my tastes. But below is something more in my style that was exciting to see.

10mm Warmaster Ogre army, 3d printed

I believe it was Dave I was talking too who owned this excellently painted 3d printed Ogre Kingdoms army. But there were about three tables upstairs that were set up ready for Warmaster with one of the guys I talked to fielding a Dwarf army. The games hadn't been set up as yet, but the tables were set with terrain. So, I only got a photo of the Ogre army. This is fantastic to see that this game is making a comeback with the Warmaster Revolution ruleset and being kept alive by a dedicated fanbase. Looks like I'm going to have to dust off my 10mm armies and brush up on the updated ruleset.

This will probably come back for MOAB and so I might think about joining in. It's been years since I played a game of this, my most favourite wargame. So, you just never know.

Anyway, it's on tomorrow as well. So, if you get a chance, stop by. There is also a Bring-n-Buy area that was being well patronised.

Spoils of MOAB 2024

 

Gale Force 9 Gothic Sector Orbital Relay.

Some of the spoils I purchased at MOAB last weekend were for my Gruntz 15mm games. I purchased them with only the box size and art to go by. But I took the conservative punt that they would be usable at the 15mm scale despite the fact that one item was aimed at the 28mm scale and the other at the Battletech (epic) scale.

The Orbital Relay is a 28mm scale piece of terrain. However, it does work with the 15mm scale as well. As can be seen below. For comparison, the Stalker with the AK is a 28mm miniature I use for Zona Alfa. The smaller figure of the two is a Khurasan 15mm Felid Alien Warrior.

I didn't unwrap the additional parts that go onto the building. But these come with magnets for easy connection and disassembly for storage. Without the additions fitted, the Orbital Relay does look like a futuristic Conning Tower on a submarine.

Gale Force 9 Hextech Power Station Battlefield in a Box.

Hextech is designed with Battletech in mind and makes some very nice scenery. The good news is that you don't have to apply the hex base to the terrain piece if you don't want to. So, this scale can fit nicely with some other scales. Above is the power station from Hextech that I purchased with a view to use it as a power generator at 15mm scale. These generator's tunnels representing power conduits at 15mm rather than elevated walkways at Battletech scale.

I believe that my bet has paid off. These nice terrain pieces would be able to be used as terrain at 15mm scale and I will likely get some more similar terrain in future.