Updates from the Martian Front

The guys over at Robot Peanut have posted a couple of long-awaited updates for All Quiet on the Martian Front.  As mentioned in a previous blog, the steam tank sprues as provided give the player options that were not available in the AQMF main ruleset.  The tutorial on their webpage showed how to use the sprues to build these tanks, but the rules had been AWOL until today.  Officially released as an addendum to pages 96 through 99 of the main rulebook, there is now a PDF detailing several new varieties of steam tanks which can be built and fielded using the plastic kit.  In addition to the standard Mk II and Mk III, there are now several new variants.

Overall the Mk II tank is familiar coming in at 165 points for the unit with the option of adding a heavy machine gun (HMG) for +10 points.  Added are a Mk IIt gun tractor with a single HMG and the capability of towing an artillery piece or acting as a "Light Wrecker."  There is also the Mk IIb "Interim Tank" which has two sponson mounted 4" guns and 1 HMG at 240 points for the unit.  These are classified as "heavy tanks" and "rare."  "Rare" is a new rule indicating that only one unit can be fielded for every 2500 points. There is also a Mk IImg which has three machine guns (two in sponsons).  Together these tanks are analogous to the World War I British Male and Female tanks (like the Mark IV).  Finally there are rules for a Mk IIc command tank - taking the superstructure from a Mk III and adding it to the Mk II with a no sponsons.

There are fewer changes to the Mk III as that variant is pretty much "maxed out" in terms of modeling options. The standard Mk III still has 3x 4" guns and a machine gun with a unit of 3 costing 225.  I don't understand how the Mk III - with a higher rate of speed and an additional 4" gun - is cheaper than the Mk IIb.  Perhaps the values are switched or they failed to update the Mk III cost.  Added to the Mk III variants is the Mk IIIs with four machine guns.  Provided in single element units, the Mk IIIs are designed for infantry support and can only be taken with US Armored Infantry.

In addition to the fun new steam tank variants (which I need to finish painting!), Alien Dungeon has also released Revision 1.0 - Errata and FAQ to the AQMF ruleset.  This PDF includes error corrections as well as answers to several frequently asked questions.  Based on some of the points issues above, they may need to release an update to the update, but regardless I'm glad to see the line starting to grow and evolve.