Steppe Martians

Here are some RAFM Steppe Martians, which I was able to finish over the (US) Thanksgiving weekend.

The colours were inspired by Native American Plains Indians, including the "paint" scheme of the gashants. Spears were (Old Glory?) tips added to piano wire.

RAFM minis are fun to paint - pity the line is still so limited.

These minis will probably do double duty, in both British service (as Graham's Irregulars) and French service (as Xanthe Desert Goumiers). I still need to paint European officers for the respective nationalities.

RAFM Steppe Martians
Animation: 4
Detail: 4
Proportions: 4
Variety: 1
Overall: 3.25 out of 5

Release the harka!

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Warbands of the Cimmerian League

Whilst my attention has been diverted, I haven't altogether been neglecting my Martian forces, and was able to finish off a warband between 7TV projects.


From the Hesperian Basin, on Mars, some irregulars. These might appear in the service of the Hesperian Basin Trade Company (HBTC) or deployed against them.

These are from RAFM. They're painted in jewel-tones to suggest a militia from a fairly prosperous town. No firearms, as the Cimmerian League is a bit far from most European trade...for now.

To begin, some archers:

Miniatures by RAFM



And some swordsmen.  I intend to fit them with shields, just as soon as I locate where I've put them. Yes, I need to paint the eyes...again.



Miniatures by RAFM

 

Finally, the leader. I used an elf from the old Grenadier line. They're also available from Mirlton, for ruinous shipping costs. The gashant is RAFM.

Rider by Grenadier, mount by RAFM

 

Rider by Grenadier, mount by RAFM

 

He's riding a bit high in the stirrups - probably shouting "Charge!" or "View hallooo!".

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28mm Aerial Steam Launch from Ironclad Miniatures

Pictured is a 28mm aerial steam launch from Ironclad Miniatures - picked up by yr humble correspondent back in 2008 (have I mentioned lately that I work slowly?). This model holds a special nostalgia for me, as back when we played the Space:1889 RPG, our British Army player-characters operated from one of these, along with our new allies, the Royal Navy.

The reader may be amused when I write that I primed this model about a year ago, and that it has gone away with me on vacation with every intent to paint it at least twice, but I could not decide upon the colour scheme.

The problem I had was that the Royal Navy (of which Britain's fledgling Aerial Service is part) have peacetime and wartime livery for Her Majesty's Ships. Peacetime vessels are painted with black hulls and buff upper works, while wartime paint is a mid-to-light grey.

Ironclad Aerial Launch - pictured are two RAFM Historicals for scale.

In the end, I went with a very dark grey hull with light grey upperworks, adhering as it were to the wartime colours in the peacetime scheme. I don't know why, but it works for me. I also found some vertical pipe-stands used in some of our old 25mm Sky Galleons of Mars games from the 1990's, one of which made for a handy flying stand.

This is a resin-cast model that is a joy to assemble. There were almost no bubbles in the resin, and they were confined to the underside of the deck. Nicely detailed with just the right amount of rivets. It does weight a respectable amount, and I'm probably going to add a larger base to the pipe-stand supporting it.

Armament consists of a single 25mm Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon miniature by Richard Houston - now available again from The Virtual Armchair General. This is labelled as "37mm" which translates to the 1-lbr HRC in Soldier's Companion.  The weapon is swappable with other miniatures, such as a Nordenfelt or Gardner gun or even a rocket tube, which would make for quite a nasty surpise for a wooden, Martian ship.

Let that be a lesson to the three-toed, yellow pongos...

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Reviresco 2.95 Inch Mountain Gun and Crew

I'm looking to do more Colonial miniature wargaming, but I'm tired of Zulus and Mahdists.  Also, I'd like to use my new French Tirailleurs Seneglais if possible, along with my British Askaris.

This essentially narrows my choice to the Great War and the East Africa Campaign. Here, the German colonies found themselves surrounded by the more populated colonies of the Allied Powers - Britain, France and Portugal.

This would also dove-tail nicely into a Great War on Mars campaign - something I've wanted to do for years.

I picked up the 2.95 Inch Mountain Gun and Crew from Reviresco, with the foreknowledge that John McEwan's minis are sometimes too small when compared to modern ranges.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this particular set scales well with the old RAFM (must we start using this term with RAFM as well...sigh) Space 1889 miniature range, and not too badly against the Old Glory colonial range.

Courtesy: Reviresco Miniatures

As for the detailing - well, the gun is very nice, though the older mould is showing the beginnings of wear. The gunners are fair-to-middling, though they paint up alright. Included in the pack are three pack horses and two pack mules.  The loads they carry are customisable - nice touch.

Courtesy: Reviresco Miniatures

There are two guns included - both may be assembled, though one is clearly intended to be attached to the pack train and transported disassembled.

Reviresco 2.95 Mountain Gun Crew
Animation: 3
Detail: 2
Proportions: 5
Variety: 4
Overall: 3.25

Reviresco 2.95 Mountain Gun Pack Animals
Animation: 3
Detail: 3
Proportions: 4
Variety: 4
Overall: 3.25

The 2.95 Mountain Gun wasn't adopted by the British Army - it was purchased by some Colonial authorities and taken into a few of the Colonial defense forces, especially British West Africa and Egypt.

I hope to have pictures of the finished, painted figs up in a few days. For now, pics from Reviresco will have to do.

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Askari Chasseurs d'Afrique - dismounted

In discussing the previously posted French Exercise scenario on The Miniatures Page, not to mention the feedback here, it became apparent that the French needed a few more troops to balance the game.  This is due, I think, more to the conditions of the scenario than the actual forces involved - a French player, suspecting an ambuscade, could send forward a small detachment of two-to-three figures and spring the Martian trap.

Some helpful sorts suggested introducing The Foreign Legion, but I hesitate to do so, yet, simply because they are in danger of being over-done in French Coloniale gaming.

Instead, I picked up some of Askari Miniatures dismounted Chasseurs d'Afrique.  I didn't need any new mounted minis, because I had found some twenty-odd mounted Chas. d'Afs that I'd converted from old Frontier miniatures castings. I don't remember what the figures previously were, and it doesn't much matter as Frontier Minis is no longer operating and the moulds are languishing in a barn somewhere near Montgomery, Georgia.

There are two sets (shown on a 1" grid) which I'm reviewing here; the dismounted pre-1900 uniform (with a higher shako) and the post 1900 command pack.

The dismounted pre-1900 figs are the usual Askari "army builder" quality - well sculpted and proportioned with moderate animation. There are three firing and three loading in a pack. Al at Askari has informed me via email that upon ordering, customers may swap poses more to their liking, so if one wanted all six firing, they have only to ask Al in an email.

The command set is a bit more interesting - the officer is advancing while aiming/firing his pistol, the sergeant is gesturing "Allons!" and the bugler stands poised, ready to sound "Remonter!".

As for the Chas. d'Afs appearing on Mars, Il est naturel, mon ami - they are the first French cavalry sent to any foreign place, be it Tonkin, Madagascar, or Idaes Fons.

Dismounted Chasseur d'Afrique
Animation: 3
Detail: 4
Proportions: 5
Variety: 3
Overall: 3.75 out of 5

Dismounted Chasseur d'Afrique Command (Post 1900)
Animation: 4
Detail: 4
Proportions: 5
Variety: 4
Overall: 4.25 out of 5

I'd like to see Askari expand this line a bit, possibly by adding a Chas. d'Af command pack in the pre-1900 uniform.

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Reviresco British Gun Weasel

What follows are some pictures sent to me by John at Reviresco Miniatures.  Apparantly my doddling about (q.v.) with his Fate Racing Car inspired him to do some conversions of his own, and here is the result.

Photo courtesy of Reviresco Miniatures

Photo courtesy of Reviresco Miniatures

Photo courtesy of Reviresco Miniatures

John added smaller seats and tracks from the Lenin Rolls winter set.   The solid wheels are extras from his automobile line.  The new sides and longer fenders were made from .03 plastic card. The gun is from the 6lb Quick Fire Set and the crew from the British Pith helmet artillery crew. The caterpillar tracks are from his Racer modification kit.

This makes for a distinctive tracked gun carrier that would do any Space:1889 wargamer proud, operating on Mars, Venus, or the Western Front, especially if you were considering “Weird War One” or (as has been suggested on TMP) Very British Civil War.. 

I think, in the general climate of Happy Meal/Jumble Sale vehicles that seem to be saturating the Victorian Science Fiction genre these days, John’s Gun Carrier, Mk. 1 “Weasel” offers a unique, yet reasonable addition to General Wood’s #1 Column advance on Œnotria.

John tells me that if there is enough interest in this model, he'll kit it up for sale.  Visit his website and let him know..

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Tirailleurs Martien

Up to now, my Martian Tirailleurs miniatures have been RAFM British Martian proxies, and they have served well, if without distinction. I've finally finished off a batch of them in the uniform of the French Coloniale, which I think the reader will agree, is rather different.

This paint scheme was copied from the Tirailleurs Seneglais, with a khaki head cloth instead of a red fez.  This reflects the French sensitivities to to the realities of Mars - red is the colour of the Earthmen, so changing the traditional red  tirailleur headwear to khaki allows the Martians to retain a degree of their "Martian-ness".  It also makes for a less obvious target when its in khaki. Also, the figures didn't look right with white head cloths.

I had given some thought to detailing white cloths with tribal patterns for the headwear, but following the French example in North Africa, decided they would discourage tribalism in the Colonie Martienne. 

"Aujourd'hui, mes enfants jaune, vous êtes Français!"

Khaki it is.

Pupils not yet put in.

The RAFM figures lend themselves well to the different uniform - though in retrospect, I should have added a bedroll atop the packs, in the style of the Legion and the Zouaves. Also, the water bottle is off, the French using the equivalent of the "Ollivier" pattern. Maybe next time - Ce que sera, sera. 

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C.G.V. Automitrailleuse Blindée

Charron-Giradot-Voigt Mk. 1 -1902 - Wikipedia

The first of the armoured cars, the Charron-Girardot-Voigt was introduced in 1902. Designed by the Georgian engineer Mikheil Nakashidze, the Russians were unable to produce it at home and thus it was contracted to the French automobile company Charron-Girardot-Voigt.

The Mark1 weighed 3000 kg., featured a Hotchkiss machine gun in an armoured cupola, and could achieve 50km per hour.

What follows is my Space:1889 fictional addition:

The Mark 2 weighed 4500 kg, features an Improved Lenoir Combustion Engine driving a dual rear drive-train, a Hotchkiss 3-pdr Revolving Cannon (later, a Hotchkiss 1-pdr Pom-Pom cannon) and could achieve 45km per hour.

The model was converted from the Reviresco  Six-Wheeled Racing Car.  The first caveat is, while listed at 28mm scale, it's closer to 22mm, being in the scale I refer to as "Old 25mm".  The kit has a lot of parts, many of which aren't needed for this conversion - canopy, baggage rails, valises,etc. which can go into the bits box.  I'll ceratinly be able to use the valises later for travellers on Mars.

 The 3-lbr H.R.C. came from the old Houston's Ships line, available from The Virtual Armchair General.  The armoured cupola is from the Reviresco Starguard line - it has lain in the bits box for a decade.

The rear side panels were cut from plastic styrene card - you can see the gap in the picture to the right where I didn't get quite flush. The front fender was converted from the rear luggage rack.  The twin engine was dremeled down a bit to provide more space for the gunner.

Shown with RAFM British Officer kicking tyres for scale

When I first unboxed the mini, I must confess I was a trifle disappointed with the size, but having muddled through, it's not quite as bad as I thought.  I was very set on matching the shape of the original C.G.V. bonnet/hood, and Reviresco's car was almost spot-on.

I still need to find a driver and convert a gunner.  I'm looking for the old Houston's 25s Zulu War Ox Wagon Driver in Pith Helmet, as the space in the front seat is tight.

Shown with RAFM British Officer for scale

Back to Space:1889:

The French have produced several prototypes – two are in Metropolitan France where they are undergoing tests. One has been sent to the Russian Tsar, who has expressed an interest in further armoured car projects. One has been sent to Algeria, and one has been sent to Idaeus Fons, Martian Colony, where it patrols the caravan routes along the old canal beds to Niliacus and Chryse along the edge of the Xanthe desert..

Movement: 4

Weight: 4 Tons (Metric)

Reliabilty: 4

Fuel Consumption: 1/4 ton Diesel

Crew: 3 Driver, Gunner, Commander/Spotter

Armor: H:1, RG:0, Crew:1*, Gun: 1 (front arc only)

*Crew get the armour rating as an addition to their saving throw.

Using the C-G-V Mk.II in Space:1889 presumes a slight acceleration of the historic technical timeline. The technology for an armoured car was certainly there, but the necessity was not yet quite clear. Etienne Lenoir had patented an internal combustion engine (albeit running on coal gas) as early as 1860, he sold the patent rights to the Compagnie Parisienne du Gaz.  Subsequent developers introduced petrol, and hey! Presto...

...Automitrailleuse Blindée!

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Askari Miniatures 80mm Mountain Gun and Artillery Mules

One of Askari Miniatures virtues is their focus on ranges outside the standard British Colonial paradigm, on the less well known areas of Victorian campaigning.

One of these less-well-known areas is late 19th century French artillery. In 1889, the French were using several types of field guns, including the De Bange (pron. de baunj) 80mm mountain gun. This weapon crops up on many Coloniale orders of battle, from Chad to Tonkin.

Askari do a nifty model of this gun, shown here with Seneglais crew.  There are also two European officers which I can't show at the moment, because they are still being painted.

Askari also make a set of artillery pack mules which will accept the dis-assembled guns for transport. Also included are pack "bits" (ammo boxes and marching packs) for fitting out a supply mule.

Often, I use the ammo mules as a general supply proxy. I'm of the opinion that as wargamers, we don't always pay enough attention to the supply train. In the 19th century, the colonial forces were often operating well away from their supply base, and including elements of the supply train is both accurate and tactically challenging, as one must task miniatures to guard the train or risk ruin.

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Mind the Gap - Canal Martian Artillerists

One of the challenges in miniature wargaming is filling the Product Gap in a line of miniatures.  In the RAFM Space:1889 line, there is a current dearth of Maritan native artillerists. I say "current" because RAFM is currently discussing how best to expand this line, and I hope they are contemplating new artillerist figs for the Canal Martians.

In the meantime, I've been using RAFM Elves of the Crystal Isles "buccaneers", which can be found, occasionally, on eBay. These were sculpted by Bob Murch, who also sculpted many if not all of the RAFM Martians, so they fit in fairly well.  The only divergence is the elves are wearing boots/shoes.

I can live with that.

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