Thursday, March 30, 2017

WIP - French Cloudship on Mars

Ironclad Miniatures in the UK have a nifty small Martian Cloudship available that I'm modifying for use by the French on Mars.

To begin, the French colony doesn't have the ship building capacity which the British enjoy in Syrtis Major. With a limited ability to build modern aerial gunboats, the authorities in Idaeus Fons must improvise, and the French-Martian Colonial Airfleet is comprised mostly of native, wooden designs in French service.

Resin bits by Ironclad Miniatures

Since my cloudship was going to be retrofitted with steam, dans la méthode des Américains, I wanted extra space for the steam engine, so I replaced the deck supplied with a new deck, cut from light balsa and basswood. The lower hull will remain the same, save for the addition of an air-screw or two.

Miniatures by Askari


Depicted for the reader's gentle delectation are four French Naval artillerymen, from Askari Miniatures. I am debating placing a half-height deck house/covered hatch in the centre, but have yet to find a model I like....

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