Trenches

I found some old 25mm trenches that I had built using Frank's instructions in Soldier's Companion. These will prove useful for the Great War on Mars scenario.

Pics of the before and after refit soon!

- finis - 

Conversion pics for the Ironclad Minis Steam Walker

These photies could probably have gone with the previous Tripod post, however, I don't get to post as often as I like, so whey-hay, here we go:

Here's the original front/bow of the crew compartment - as mentioned, I've decided this will be the rear/aft of the walker.  

The piece of 1/4 inch dowel that has been cut for to serve as a firebox can be seen.  The silver sliver is an HO scale railway smokestack.  There is a larger, white metal, smokestack supplied with the model which is fine - I just preferred the look of the smaller stack.

Below is the "new" front/bow.  The stack housing has been milliput-ed over and some styrene card glued on to simulate the gunners position.

Here is the assembled smokebox, stack and water/oil tank. I really do think the reversed cab looks better this way! More praise and glory to Ironclad for designing a model that is easily kit-bashed!

Below, atop the three legs, is the 25/28mm Sci-Fi console base, used for the running gear box - the top (not shown) looks a bit like a TARDIS column.  I will need to figure out where to get more of these if I want to make another tripod...(Edit: I have since discovered, a soft-drink bottle cap will work as well.)

Joining the legs was simpler than I thought it would be - I used some two-part epoxy to fasten the legs to a fender washer.  Once dry (and I had  to hold the legs down with my thumb for 10 minutes while watching the Game of Thrones) the washer and legs were easily epoxied to the gearbox.

The model needs a base, if only to protect the legs from catching on something and snapping off. I have 2" diameter sheet steel bases that were too small to fit the "feet", and a large 3" fender washer that I decided was too heavy.  Finally, the model was epoxied to a styrene-sheet base (actually two pieces, stuck together). This provides a nice stable base without making the model too heavy.

Vorwards!  Nach Paris!

- finis -

L' Ancre Embrouillée

Troupe de Marine symbol

L' Ancre Embrouillée

The French Ministry of Marine Establishment on Mars

As given on page 161 of Soldier’s Companion, the French Colonial Establishment on Mars contravenes the French Constitution, which prohibited the deployment of “Metropolitan” troops (i.e. those in the regular French Army) from being deployed out of France.  

French political thought in the years from 1872 to the run up for the Great War was dominated by “Revanche” – the recovery of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine from the German Empire, and the punishment of the Germans for occupying the same.

This meant that, in the mind of the government, the sole purpose of the French Army was to fight Germany in the Next War.

Running concurrently and in opposition to the dominant policy of Revanche was the Colonialists' notion that for France to reclaim her status as a power, lost in the disasters of the Franco-Prussian war, she would need colonies. Occasional Colonialist political victories against the Revanchists would result in France controlling an empire second only to Great Britain’s in size and scope.

The Army’s hands were essentially tied, and the Ministry of the Marine controlled the French colonial military until 1893. Thus in 1889 the bulk of French Troops on Mars should be Marine Infantry, reinforced by native levies and penal battalions (les Joyeux), stiffened by the Foreign Legion and the occasional sprinkling of Fusilier Marines (Sailors) near the landing zones.

The list should be amended to something rather like this:

The French Colonial Establishment on Mars – Idæs Fons Colony

2nd Foreign Legion Infantry                         E2

3rd Marine Infantry                                       V1

7th Marine Infantry                                       X1

1^st Btn Tirailleurs Martien                            T2

5^th Btn African Light Infantry (penal)            X1

1st Foreign Legion Gashant Corps             V1                 
Martian Indigenous Irregular Cavalry           X2

Martian Irregular Cavalty Goumiers

Following the limited success of using native Arab horsemen to track and raid troublesome desert tribes, the French have begun to enlist Hill Martians as native "Goumiers". Thus far, the practise appears to be working well, due to the superior warlike qualities of the Hill Martian riders.

To be continued:...

Happiness is a Warm Tripod

I am invariably stymied at the general lethargy of some miniature casters.  This latest pronouncement of mine comes after a particularly long search for a proper German War Tripod for Space 1889. 

The Atelier de la Charrett, who have in the past made a Really Good Steam Walker, seems to be "souffrance de la caffard", in that they are in no hurry to re-release their Parroom Station Steam Tripod. Most of the other older sources also appear to have dried up.

You would think, in the general stampede to board the Steampunk Bandwagon, that someone would be interested in getting it right?

After much internet searching, speculating and hand-wringing, I've finally purchased some vehicles from Ironclad Miniatures. Including their Steam Walker.

Even though the Ironclad model is a four-footed walker, it is easily modified to a tripod. I should have done this years ago. Lovely detail, excellent workmanship, and I had friendly service from John L. at Ironclad.

The kit comes with four legs, crew compartment, stack and gun, and a mounting platform. My initial hesitation was due to not knowing if I could easily remove the crew compartment from the gear box. I needn't have worried. Praise and glory be to Ironclad for casting the crew compartment separately from the gearbox/mounting platform. Platform and one leg have been placed in the bits box while a washer and cast-off sci-fi TARDIS column base serve to convert to a tripod with gearbox.

I've also reversed the crew compartment to look more like a turret, again to keep inline with the Chadwick design. This meant puttying over the stack aperture. This was a small pity because one can see the thought that went into the design, including a molded ring to secure the stack.  Nice!

A touch of styrene card as a gun-port cover, an external firebox for the experimental coal-oil engine, and viola!

                               Panzerkampfdreifus Storch!

Now to work on some "Trample" rules for Soldier's Companion. Mwahahaaaaa.

- finis -

Les Marsouins

Finally finished my Old Glory Troupes de Marine (French Marine Infantry).

Marsouin means "porpoise", as the Marines went where the fleet went and followed the navy.

Not to be confused with Fusilier Marines, which are naval sailors trained as infantry to defend naval installations, the Troupes de Marine are the French equivalent to the British Royal Marine Light Infantry. They were at the forefront of hostilities in Tonkin and Madagascar, and they often went where the Legion could not go.

They are painted here in their experimental 1894 Mechanic's Blue denims, which they wore at Tiensen, China and the Relief of Peking. For Space 1889 purposes, I assume a gradual acceleration of the historical timeline, or as I ask my gamers "That?  That's what's bothering you?  They're wearing a kit five years too early...on MARS?"


- finis - 

Status Counters for Soldier's Companion

One of the many benefits of Frank Chadwick's Soldiers Companion is it plays clean, in that one doesn't need to consult tables and charts whilst playing the game.  Rosters are also kept to a minimum, and a unit roster reads very much thusly:

1st Btn. South Wales Borders - V1
Breechloader Rifles 12/24

Troop identification, Quality (V for veteran), Fieldcraft (1) and weapon (Martini-Henry rifle)

There are no boxes for casualties as the figs are knocked down/lifted/given full honours as the firing is resolved. Moral state can be recorded as it fluctuates.

The need for some counters became apparent to me after many games playing Soldier's Companion through the years, and while I don't like a lot of board clutter, in some cases I am forced to admit that a discreet counter would have been welcome in avoiding a bad call.

There are three variable states that are linked to morale, but aren't actual morale factors under the rules:
Checked
Charging
Frenzied

Checked occurs when morale effects are resolved - a morale roll failed by 2 or less results in a unit becoming Checked.  They fire with a 1 pip penalty, and have some melee disadvantages. A checked unit may also not advance towards the enemy.

Charges are declared before movement, before initiative is determined.  Charges aren't resolved until after fire, so it's sometimes not difficult to forget in a big game if a unit is charging or being charged.

Frenzied is another morale state, which occurs when a unit witnesses a friendly unit winning a melee. Frenzied units count towards winning initiative, and frenzied units must charge the nearest enemy unit.

Litko Aero makes some nice counters (I picked up mine at the Wargames Vault during a sale) so it wasn't difficult finding appropriate counters.

Now to see if they'll help me win.

- finis -

More Œnotrian Artillery

Here are a coupe of rogue guns for use in defending town walls.  Rogues performance is equivalent to that of the 68-pounder, albeit with a slower rate of fire.  This can be explained by the 68's use of the percussion cap for firing, while the rogue still uses the "prick and prime" method.

Rogues are not much seen in the field, being very heavy and difficult to maneuvre, but they are useful in knocking down the walls of smaller Martian states. Any siege train on Mars expecting to carry the day will feature a battery of rogues, and any municipality hoping to resist will mount a few on the walls, as a deterrent.

These are part of a three-gun set from Scotia Grendel - you will find them under the Medium Dwarven Artillery.  As resin-cast, there is a bit of "greeblische" around the base, simulating churned-up dirt from the field. This might bother the extra-fastidious when deploying them on a stone parapet.

 I wasn't entirely certain these would scale well with my RAFM Martian gunners, but they do.

- finis -