Off topic-KryoMek

Has anyone played KryoMek? Are the rules any good. Someone told me they were
based on the original SG1 rules. Do the KryoMek rules include Powered Armored
troops? Are the only "bad guys" the bugs? Has anyone seen the miniature
terrain for KryoMek (the corridors and rooms and stuff)? How are the Marine
miniatures (I've seen the bugs)?

Thanks,

> Has anyone played KryoMek? Are the rules any good. Someone told me they

The Kryomek rules are quite good but have some limitations. It is essentially
a skirmish wargame. try looking for Andy Cowell's (sorry if I spelt it wrong
Andy) web page he has some conversions for KM to SG II (a much better
wargame).

In my opinion the KM universe offers the most potential of any background
for Sci-Fi wargaming, IMO if you only buy the book for the background it
will have been money well spent. The background material is well thought out
and rich in detail. There are no 'good' or 'bad' guys, each side has pros and
cons. I favour the Kryomek as they have a truly alien psychology, the Nexux
alliance are very human in nature (rebellions, bloody reprisals, sensless
slaighter, convict slave troops and so on).

The miniatures are very mixed. The Nexus SWATs are excellent (troops in light
PA) while the first Nexus marines suck, the new Colonial marines are good but
they suffer from the GW disease of increasing size, the Talos units are the
best combat droids on the market, the striders are (at the risk of repetition)
also very good, while the nexus vehicles are very much on the small side. If
you can get them Grendel make an excellent APC for Kryomek (the Scarab ATAC),
or try a Toys are Us and get a couple of Aliens Colonial Marine APCs (Gallob
Action Fleet range).

IMO the best mix of Nexus troops are Genadier Future Warrior troopers (all
have Gaus rifle/grenade lanchers in Laminated plasticated weave armour),
Nexus SWATs, Talos units, Cyclos and striders and either Grendel or Galoob
APCs.

The Kryomek themseleves are superb, they look great and the detail on the
figures is excellent. The Warmasters and Warriors are fine but the only
problem I have is that the heloin are a little expensive to have true swarms.
I have taken to using Evil Empire (GW) tyranid things (I forget what they are
called but I buy them six to a blister, they are vermiform bodies with taloned
'heads' with toothy circular oral orifices) which to me look good as swarm
creatures, and since they are EE (tm) they are on the large side with approx
the same body mass as a Nexus human. The KM vehicles again are on the small
sid but currently they are the only alien vehicles i have seen on the market.

The scenery stuff is mixed, the craters are average but on the expensive side
(the EE used to make some good vac formed craters which are a much better
deal) while the corridoor and other stuff is quite good. The problem (IMO)
with this resin scenery is you have to buy quite a bit to get a decent sized
floor area, potentially a better way is to try to find a second hand version
of the old Space Hulk which has some excellent corridoor tiles which make more
cost effective scenery.

The final scenry, the outdoor biuldings, is very good, the biuyldings are all
'front line' types, low profile bunkers ranging from command bunkers to flak
bunkers, missile silos and automated sentry towers. For the money these
buildings are very good value, they ar sized well and fit with a variety of
figure ranges (I use mide with figs ranging from GZG 25mm to EE 30 mm).

I hope some of this was useful. If you want more info just dro me a line.

> Has anyone played KryoMek? Are the rules any good. Someone told me

While SGII is THE best skirmish game on the market, Kryomek still is a
fantastic game. The balance between the Humans and the Bugs is great.The
Humans kick the bugs arses at long range, but once they are close the Humans
die in droves. And for a change, the points system that is listed in the new
Kryomek: Hivestone is possibly the most balanced I've ever seen. It makes
quite a bit of sense, but can be a little inflexible at times. Love the game.

> In my opinion the KM universe offers the most potential of any

There are three armies BTW. BASICALLY there are Humans and Kryomek, but within
the humans there are the Corps, the Nexus and the Rebels.

> The miniatures are very mixed. The Nexus SWATs are excellent (troops

I have to dissagree here. I personally think that the Nexus SWAT suck. They
look stupid. The Marines aren't anything to shout about, but they aren't as
bad as you think. They look pretty realistic IMHO. The Cyclos are superb, as
are the Talos and Helcat units (I have bucket loads of all theM), the Striders
are great too while the vehicles, like the SWATs, suck. I only wish that
Galoob would market those Aliens APC's over here in Oz <sigh>. For Kryomek
Powered Armour, I will be using NSL as I am hoping its bulky enough. Oh yeah,
it looks cool too.

> The Kryomek themseleves are superb, they look great and the detail on

Yeah, what he said.

> The final scenry, the outdoor biuldings, is very good, the biuyldings

Love the Kryomek buildings. Gotta save some money to get some. I want a BIG
complex (they can be linked by corridors that can be purchased).

On the whole the Kryomek range is pretty great. I own quite a lot of it and I
use it in a lot of other systems too. Useful stuff.

On Fri, Jul 18, 1997 at 10:18:11 AM, Stuart Murray <smurray@aecom.yu.edu>
wrote:

> In my opinion the KM universe offers the most potential of any

FWIW: 1) I agree wholeheartedly with the above. The texture of the Kryomek
background is very neat. Over half the book is background, fiction, etc., and
it is well worth every penny.

2) I have a second copy, which I received as part of an auction bundle at
Origins last year. I'm willing to sell it for $10 plus shipping.