Saturday 19 December 2009

Hammers Slammers



The SF author, David Drake, has been described as the 'father' of military SF. He served in the Blackhorse elite battle cavalry in Vietnam. The Blackhorse were the unit who devised the Thunder Run. Experience of combat has given him an insight into the impact of combat stress on human beings that no other author has ever bettered. His work stands comparison with the great WWI writers.

He is perhaps best known as the writer of the Hammers Slammers series. These are stories based around the colonial warfare campaigns of an elite third millenium mercenary battle cavalry regiment. These campaigns often involve asymetric warfare.

The picture above shows an Old Crow Hammers Slammers Blower Tank in 28ml. It's main weapon is a devastation 20cm powergun.



John Treadaway and I obtained David Drake's permission to produce the first official rulebook and wargaming guide to the Slammers. We went to enormous trouble to recreate the world of the stories, in the rules, in the background and in the models. Pireme published the books and Old Crow & Ground Zero Games designed the models. David kindly checked all the stages to ensure that we had captured his vision.

There were two initial paperback books - The core book, the Hammers Slammers Handbook, and a supplement, Hammers Anvil.

See:

http://www.miniwargames.com/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=5e957abgucofq86p8ccgsg4km3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hammers-Slammers-Handbook-Technical-Specifications/dp/0954727606/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261245035&sr=1-14

There is an independent review here:
http://www.totalmodels.co.uk/reviews/data/Wargame_Rules/Sci-Fi/pri_hammers/index.shtml

We are in the process of producing a revised version in hardback that will incorporate and update the earlier work.




Hammers Slammers Combat Cars armed with three tribarrel powerguns.



Blower tanks rolling hot.


A firebase.



Slammers 'Hog' - self propelled rocket assisted artillery.


Terran Authority Starmaine infantry and HALO MBT. These are the profesionals that keep order in the colonies. They are tough, highly trained veterans that are superbly armed.




A Texian Mercenary Regiment gunship. These are elite light infantry.




A half track from the Thunderbolt mercenary regiment.


A Wolverine mercenary regiment powergun in an anti-tank role.



A Zaparoyski mercenary regiment Sabre MBT.

For more pictures, modelling guides and free downloads go to the official Hammers Slammers Website here:
http://www.hammers-slammers.com/

7 comments:

  1. The Slammers mini game rulebook... I didn't know that was you. Most Excellent work! A pity it is hard to get here in the USA where the Traveller Slammers is the only version authorized for sale. It's not as good as your book.

    Myself and a couple of friends have dabbled in a Codex: Slammers but its pretty crude. The points costs we've worked out make the Slammers not cost effecive vs IG. Individual Guards men are pathetic but there are billions of them against 5000 Slammers, who have 68 tanks, 200 combat cars and 1500 or so infantry.

    'Plasma' Ken in Southern California

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  2. Excellent on the new edition! Maybe there will be more distribution in the US!

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  3. Dear Ken & Fred

    John Treadaway is going to pass your comment about American availability on to Pireme. The publisher is under new management so maybe we will see new thoughts on marketing.

    John

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  4. John

    Thanks for that - could I redirect people to the actual Slammers site rather than the old South London Warlords one? http:/www.hammers-slammers.com

    John Treadaway

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  5. with two // slashes, obviously !

    John T

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  6. Looks like fun, are they size compatible with 40k?

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  7. Dear NemFX
    Yes, the Old Crow vehicles are.
    John

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