“It's A Question Of Simian Survival.”

“The sooner they're exterminated, the better.”

This 28mm scale white metal model of a 'savage Simian Minion straight from the lab' is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either separately under code SKU: MINI 98 or as part of their Simian Minions four-figure collection SKU: DEAL 39. The miniature was initially primed with two coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before being enthusiastically dry-brushed in Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal.

The Ape with Baton was then drenched in "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and had its trousers and sleeves pigmented using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Violet and "Citadel" Druchii Violet. Its face, ammunition belt, rifle and strap were treated to a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, whilst the soldier's wooden stick was painted using some Charred Brown. Finally, all of these areas were later shaded using "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and the gorilla’s firearm was given a little "Citadel" Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil.

The 'Crimson Fists' tackle a Xenomorph infestation alongside the 'Imperial Guard'

With another of my Simian Minions completed, I’ve spent some considerable time further play-testing my homemade 15mm science fiction collaborative rules, "M.I.S.S.”, using a load of Xenomorphs by “Ground Zero Games”, 10mm Face Huggers by “Pendraken Miniatures” and Ion Age figures by "Alternative Armies". The two games centred around a futuristic settlement coming under attack by H.R. Giger’s famous aliens, and saw the forces of Mankind first fend off the horde, and then in the second battle desperately try to reconnect the damaged power supply to the colony.

The opening foray really saw the ‘Imperial Guard’ take something of a battering to the North, as they pushed through the recently evacuated buildings and past some woodland to take up a defensive position near some toxic waste pools. Fortunately, the ‘Crimson Fist Space Marines’ to their south were made of much sterner stuff, and managed to slowly push forwards against a combination of Infant Xenomorphs and Drone Warriors.

Both the Crimson Fists and Imperial Guard deploy their armoured vehicles

For the subsequent scenario, we added a couple of armoured vehicles to our respective forces, such as an 'Adeptus Astartes Whirlwind' and initially struggled to locate the colony’s power station. Then, the space marines had to make a somewhat risky venture further into the increasingly alien-infested community to locate and retrieve the spare parts required to fix its generators.

Throughout much of this confrontation the ‘Astra Militarum’ kept up a steady barrage of missiles and rail-gun bullets upon a seemingly endless swarm of fast-moving Face Huggers, which left the unconquerable ‘Crimson Fists’ to focus upon the game’s objective. Ultimately though, both missions were successful due to some strong team-work between Mankind’s forces, and many enlisted Guardsmen overcoming their fear of the Xenomorphs just long enough to occasionally cause the alien horde to pause in its relentless onslaught…