Infantry Company; the Vākāṭakans 432nd

Here is my finished 15mm sci-fi company. Unfortunately I don't have any vehicles so it's pure infantry. Some APC's would be nice, but if and when I opt to mechanize them that would be a huge project in its own right. I would need at least a dozen APC's, a command vehicle, and three drop-pod like devices. Yeah, it'd be expensive and that would be a lot of painting and assembly. The good news about 15mm though, it should paint up faster and be a fraction the cost of its 28mm big brother.

I've had these painted up for some time, with just a small amount of squads to finish somewhat recently. The figs all come from Ground Zero Games. They're great sculpts, don't get me wrong, but frankly when this project was started there just wasn't the huge outlet of 15mm sci-fi selection and variety that we have now, GZG was about the only option out there. I had a specific TO&E in mind when I put all of this together and I tried to keep the platoons separate but still let them have a bit of their own versatility and personality.

I also had a specific fiction in mind, something along the lines of Earth in the next hundred years or so. Constant conflict, global ecological changes, a few loose nukes, and what-not have created a perpetual war-zone mostly centered in Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia. Colonization efforts are underway off-world, near FTL travel has been invented, and contact has been made amongst the stars with sentient aliens of comparable technology levels. Of course there's bigger, better stuff out there in the cosmos, we just haven't stumbled across it yet. My army here represents an Indian force.


The 432nd is a multi-role company that is made up of a variety of different types of platoons. Mixed companies such as the 432nd have the most flexibility in mission-adaptable operations and are ready for a wide number of battlefield roles.

The 432nd consists of four platoons and a headquarters squad. Three platoons consist of three squads each led by a dedicated command squad, all squads have eight troopers each. The fourth platoon consists of three power armored squads with six troopers each. Finally you have an eight trooper strong HQ squad.


The 432nd's Shudran platoon consists of troopers of the lowest overall quality. Their dependable equipment and basic training does give them something of an edge over comparable enemy units. They are found as the backbone of police forces assigned to colony ship departures. Sometimes an entire Shudran company is formed specifically to accompany a colony caravan, becoming PDF forces upon arrival. For most of these troopers service is the only means they have to leave Earth.


The Vaishyan platoon consists of the most plentiful of troopers in the overall army. The largest number of dedicated companies are ones that comprise of nothing but these troopers. Vaishyan troopers are the enlisted men and women that see the widest range of action across the most number of battlefields. These career soldiers have the better equipment in the field compared to enemy units of similar strengths and continually train when not on campaign. Special forces draw the most number of recruits from the Vaishyan ranks as well.


The 432nd counts itself extremely lucky in that it has a full platoon of Satrians, alien commandos unparalleled in fighting. Most companies are able to temporary requisition a single squad at best, and only for specific parameters. Their equipment comes from off-world, as do their strategies and tactics. It's as if every facet of Satrian warfare is a mirror of human warfare, only exemplified.

When this space-borne race was encountered it was quickly (and astonishingly) realized that the Satrians' religious doctrine was almost identical to Hinduism. The Satrians considered themselves lost pilgrims trying to find their way back to what has been loosely translated as the Indus Valley. For this reason the alliance between the Satrians and India has been fully realized and seamlessly enacted. Other nations might employ alien mercenaries, but none come close to the assimilation between these two entities.


Rounding out the platoons of the 432nd are the Kshatriyans, fearsome power armored troopers. Being chosen as a power armor trooper is a great honor and only the most distinguished soldiers make the final cut. Because of their elite training, power armored units are autonomous and do not utilize and attached command squad.

Power armor is the pinnacle of infantry battlefield technology. Thanks to knowledge shared from Satrian scientists, Indian power armored units got a leg up in design innovation and power plant efficiency. The bottom line is that these suits can last longer in the field and take up less room that comparable power armored suits.

Shown here as well is the company headquarters squad composed of top military leaders and strategists. They are equipped accordingly with high tech arms and armor and although the squad is rarely in the thick of the fighting, they are more than capable if need be.


There you have it, I hope you enjoyed reading the fluff as much as I enjoyed writing it. Looking back over this post I realize I'd like to go a little further and finish this army out. I said in the beginning it'd be a long, arduous journey, but I think this army deserves the full treatment. Namely transports, but other things like a support platoon of tanks, some aircraft or whatever, maybe some walkers even. Too many choices, a blank canvas is as much a curse as a boon.

As for rules, bah, whatever goes really. This is a large army as it stands (over a hundred models) so I don't imagine I'll ever field it all at once. Lots of candidates out there to use too, it's just a matter of getting them on the table and sticking to it.