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....

- finis - 

Painted Chasseurs de Mars - Les Bouchers Bleus

Here are some piccies of my latest paint project - dismounted Chasseurs d'Afrique (on Mars) with some mounted officers, reviewed in a previous post.

These turned out well - Askari minis are fairly straightforward to paint, though their painting guides leave something to be desired as far as full coverage of the topic goes. Still, you can't beat the price.

Here are some mounted officers, also from Askari. Not shown is a third figure in tropical dress and helmet which will be leading the next punitive expedition against the Martians of the Tempe Hills.

Here the Askari officers ares shown with my old Frontier Chass d'Afs. 

 The difference in scale isn't terribly noticeable, and one comes to expect that officers and sergents will be better fed, both man and mount, than your rank and file Poilu.

 - finis -