"With Fury Unabated..."

It's been some while between posts - unfortunately, there hasn't been much opportunity for VSF gaming this year. (Hat tip to Alpini Jeff for the nice piccies.)

Downtown Alexandria

So it was fortuitous to be invited to a playtest of Bob Giglio's most recent Colonial Epic - the Invasion of Alexandria - or as he entitled it "With Fury Unabated".  This was a cleverly concocted game with lots of buildings, which made for a lot of fun.

Mob Storming the Customs House

Running off a bad lot

An Honest Merchant - or a latent radical?

In a nutshell, the players take the parts of the British Marines and Bluejackets as they land in 1882 Alexandria in an attempt to rescue European civilians and protect European property from the riotous followers of Colonel Achmed U'rabi.

Royal Navy Landing Party

Civilians waiting to be evacuated

Storming the British Legation

"You are NICKED, my gyp darlings..."

The ruleset was Bob's Modified "Soldier's Companion II" which addresses some of the perceived shortfalls of the original Soldier's Companion by Frank Chadwick.

Yanks having the odd pot shot.

"Right, we'll go round the back..."

"The Flag was still there..."

The game was, in turn, inspired by the "55 Minutes at Peking" games we ran in the early '90's, which came from an article by the Staines Wargame Club in Miniature Wargames magazine. And there ends our pedigree.

The British and Bashi Bazouks defend the Armoury

"There they go, lads! After 'em!"

(Pictures to be uploaded as soon as we determine whatever blogger's problem is. Three computers, same result. Edit: It was Microsoft's Internet Explorer causing the problem. Typical.)

Post Game Thoughts:

If I were forced to give a criticism, it would only be in comparison to the pace of the inspirational "55 Minutes at Peking". The Staines wargamers created a hectic, breathless game where the players barter, shout and plead with each other for help, and the referees really ARE out to get you.  Bob's game was less frenetic, which might actually reflect the age and temperment of the players, and no harm done.

Bob also added some clever random events, and some events triggered by certain conditions being met.  The Khedive arrives if the British can capture the main gate to the palace. Random armed crews from merchant steamers may arrive; bolstering the British or patronising the local wine shop.  My own lads at the armoury were assisted by the fortuitous arrival of a band of bashi-bazouks, who assisted in the defense and actually ran off a mob of wrong sorts.

Rally to the Khedive!

In conclusion, this was an excellent game, played to conclusion in about 4 hours, covering an often-overlooked action of a little-gamed conflict. Full marks for originality and research. Well done!

-finis-

Incident at a Martian Farmhouse: IHMN 1889

Megz and I had our first test run of In Her Majesty's Name.   Since I don't have enough dedicated figures for my desired factions, I decided to try a scenario set on Mars in the universe of Space:1889.

The Mad Guru: Incident at a Martian Farm House

(This scenario is based on the Mad Mullah scenario from Soldier's Companion, using the "Bring Him Back Alive" objectives from In Her Majesty's Name.)

British authorities in Syrtis Major have learned of a new Martian rhabmahg, or holy-man, named Sootamon Khal, who has been preaching the end of British rule in the Syrtis Lapis region. The Intelligence office in Syrtis Major orders the Royal Martian Constabulary to bring in this "turbulent fakir'...

Acting on a tip, a section of Martian constabulary, led by their sergeant and a political-wallah, make their way to the isolated farmhouse where Sootamon Khal is rumoured to be staying.  They make their approach just before sunrise...

(Of course, the Martians know the British are coming - they've been tipped off by any number of sympathisers working near or within the ranks of the constabulary...)

Crown Forces

Type	Pluck	FV	SV	SPD	Equipment	Talents	Cost
Lt. Bertie	3+	+1	+1	6”	Pistol Sword	Stealthy Leadership 2	28
Sgt. Arglux	3+	+1	+1	6”	Breechload Rifle Bayonet	Bayonet Drill Leadership 1	30
8 Native Constables	4+	0	+1	6”	Breechload Rifle Bayonet	Bayonet Drill	161
							219

Crown Objectives: Capture or disable the "Mad Guru" and bring him to Red Newgate in Syrtis Major, to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

Martian Forces

Type	Pluck	FV	SV	Speed	Equipment	Talents	Cost
Sootamon Khal	3+	+1	0	6	Staff	Fanatic Inspirational Leadership 2	34
Khalifam Arsdulla	3+	+1	+1	6”	Pistol Sword	Leadership 1	17
5 Bodyguards	4+	0	+1	6”	Rifled Muskets  Fighting Knife	Fanatic	95
5 Bodyguards	4+	+1	0	6”	Swords and Spears	Fanatic	75
							221

Martian Objectives: Protect Sootamon Khal from the aliens, disable the earthman leader, defend the farm house.

Turn 1: The constabulary troops crept up to a ridge behind the farmhouse.  No sign of activity was observed..

"Dice are rolling - the knives are out..."

Turn 2: Perhaps fearing an ambush, the advancing troopers began to move to their own right flank.  Suddenly, a shot rang out, followed by another and puffs of black powder smoke issued from the near farmhouse windows.  One constable went down. It was a trap, after all.

(The muskets the Martians were using only had an 18" range, and as the constables began to shift to flank the farm house, they were moving out of range. The Martian sentries decided to take a chance...)

Turn 3: The troopers were split into three groups - two had crossed the open ground and were now in the high weeds behind the farmhouse, while the rest of formed a ragged line and fired at the martian musketmen popping up on the farm house roof.  From atop the steep hillock, Lt. Bertie encouraged the lads with shouts of "get on with it, then..."

At one point, a Martian bullet found our Bertie, and I thought we had the Red Offworlders without a leader, but he was saved by his "Stealthy" skill, and survived to move, prudently, to better cover.

They've winged Bertie! Or is he laying doggo?

Martian casualties mount...

Turn 4: Clashing their spears upon their breastplates, a band of five Martians charged out of the crop fields on the far side of the farm house. The constables attempt to fall back and form ranks.

Martian cutters burst out from the bundu...

Turn 5: Harassed by sporadic fire from the farmhouse, the constables form a ragged firing line, while the Martian cutters close in.

Turn 6: Contact. Despite their desperate fire, the constables couldn't break the Martian charge (a volley fire rule here wouldn't go amiss). The band of cutters would have their chance for revenge.

Turn 7: Melee. The cutters drop four of the constabulary, while losing only two of their own.  Victory is within our grasp. However, on turn 8, some hot dice rolls on Megz's part turn the tide of battle against us.

Turn 9: Sootamon flees.  While the Martians had inflicted some serious damage on the colonial constabulary, Sootamon decided to take no chances, and slips out through the back garden.

"Right lads, off we go!"

It actually took the Khal three turns to flee the farm house and exit the map - the Constabulary were caught up in the melee and were unable to interfere.  The Hunt for the Mad Mullah would have to continue...

Post Game Thoughts:

I LIKE these rules. They are excellent for a small-scale engagement, move quickly and give a good result. This scenario felt like a skirmish level Soldier's Companion game.  The lack of morale rule is a minor issue, and it would be easy to set a morale test level for a warband - say 50 - 75% casualties, or when a leader catches it. In fact, most of the Soldier's Companion morale modifiers can be imported with little conversion.

Some other minor mods might be a modifier for the target charging straight at the firer, possily with a pluck roll to have the shooter stand fast.

British firepower was telling (as it should be), with Martian muskets firing every other turn. The Martians had an advantage in melee, but there were still constables shooting while the melee raged, and eventually, the Martial cutters either fled, surrendered, or were shot down.

Because the miniatures are individually configurable, it's possible to give some specific flavour to the units, and therefor, the scenario.  The slightly sneaky Lt. Bertie being just one example.

I'm looking forward to introducing In Her Majesty's Name to the Friday Night Pals, soon.

Coddling CHOP! to the FACE!

 - finis -

Æronef vs. Ærial Gunboat

Discussion on The Miniatures Page encouraged me to descend into the crypt and dig out my old 25mm aerial gunboats.  These had been used for a single game of Sky Galleons of Mars back in the mid-to-late 90s.

Above is a comparison of the Ironclad Aeronef vs the smallest British "Aphid" - although I think I was building the "Penelope" as I note the plethora of Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon and a rather prominent ram.

These are made of card stock and foam core on blue DIY/Dow insulation board formers, with thin wood decking. Ship plans are available in GDWs "Cloudships and Gunboats", now available from Heliograph Publishing Inc.

I am a little embarrassed at the poor quality and lack of important detail on these scratchbuilt models - my only defense is, in may callow youth, I was rushing to finish and we only played once, because we had issues keeping the stands upright. 

Later on, a friend of mine welded the pipes to steel railway washers, which gave them more stability.  Adding a few more washers, usually of a larger size, also increased stability - though these stands shown are not yet safe for any kind of carpet. A larger 4" OD washer is needed.

Being older and wiser, nowadays I would use a flange and pipe arrangement, or else cut these from clear Lucite. I will probably exchange the black rods for clear Lucite ones.

"Look Sarge, he didn't even paint the stacks..."
"...typical..."

The current project will be to refinish this and bring it up to spec, along with several others that are currently languishing in mothballs.

- finis -

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...

- finis -

Reviresco 2.95 Inch Mountain Gun and Crew - Painted

These were finished about a week ago - it took me some time to settle down and post piccies.

Reviresco minis seem to paint up remarkably well for figures that are two decades old or more. These are painted in duty smocks and tropical kit.  I must needs go back and paint in the eyes on the crew - also, a standing figure in tropical kit went missing during the painting process, which turned up a day or two ago.

Must flock those bases on the pack train. And order another two sets.

- finis -

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.

- finis -

2nd Mœris Lacus Dragoons

Another unit for my "Drums along the Shastapsh" campaign - the 2nd Mœris Lacus Dragoons.

These are the junior squadron in the Mœris Lacus Trucial Military District.  They wear the green "Parhuni" styled turban, with surplus "Oxford Mix" trousers reinforced with leather from local sources on the inside leg and seat of pants. They have a modern khaki tunic, with orange facings.

Although displaying the Wilkinson-pattern light cavalry sabre, they are also armed with a Parhuni long knife for dismounted work, along with the pattern 1878 Martini-Enfield carbine. 

Orange shoulder tabs

Figures are from RAFM.

As a junior formation, they rate a very modest T1 in Soldier's Companion - however, as mounted natives, they are very useful for scouting work and vedette duty.  They are unlikely to stand very long under fire, but we'll eventually see, along the Mœris-Shastapsh canal, of what what mettle they're made.

- finis -