Happy New Year!

May your drinks cabinets never be empty in 2012!

Dystopian Wars: French sneak-peaks

Spartan Games have released some concept pics of their new range of DW models: the Republique of France:

Bretagne Class Cruiser

The dawn of the 19th century brought with it a series of catastrophic events that stripped France of its status as an imperial power. Having reached, as they saw it, the very lowest depths of despair, the French spent the following decades dedicating all their efforts into rebuilding their nation and its glory.  

Couronne Class Battle Carrier

Now, as the 1870s dawn, and the world is gripped by crisis, France sees at last the chance to regain its rightful place as a great power. The self-satisfied, naysayers and complacent, at home and abroad, who in the past have sought to write off the Republique's fortunes are soon to be proven very wrong.

Focault 'R-6' Class Medium Tank and Hotch 'FT-12' Class Small Tank 

The French military forces are split into three services: l'Armee de Terre, l'Armee de Mer and l'Armee de l'Air: literally, the Armies of the Land, Sea and Sky. The Navy and Air Forces also include their own integral marine forces, known as Mousquetons, after the compact automatic carbines that are their main armament.

 'B-17' Class Land Ship

L'Armee de Terre is split into the Regular and Reserve Armies and the Heavy Assault Command. The Regular Army is formed of Armoured Regiments; each incorporates its own artillery and infantry elements. The Armoured Regiments form the backbone of the Land Army.  

Lyon Class Frigate

The French Navy is divided into three fleets: Atlantic, Channel and Mediterranean, with the strongest forces assigned to the latter two. The Navy also incorporates its own aerial element, the Maritime Air Force, which is responsible for the fighter and light bomber squadrons employed on the Navy's battle-carriers.    

Furieux Class Medium Flyer

The third of the Republique's armed services is the most glamorous and also very cosmopolitan. The French air service, focussed as it is on France itself, employs large numbers of conventional short ranged aeroplanes, organised into fighter and bomber squadrons (escadrons de chasse and bombardier respectively) grouped within Air Combat Wings. This part of the air force also incorporates the heavy bomber squadrons.

Voltaire Class Bomber

Factorium Relocated

The move is now completed, with only minor damages.  

Looking forward to re-establishing production soon!

Merry Christmas One and All!

Best Wishes for a safe and Merry Christmas to All!

Back into the Hindukush...again!

Yes, time for my biennial relocation of the Man Cave and its associated factorium.
Will be offline for a bit, but will advise when my drinks cabinet has been firmly re-established!

Acoustic Terrain

Brigade Models have released their acoustic mirror terrain packs:

Welcome to the start of our range of Land Ironclads (and by extension, Aeronef) terrain.

This first two items are ideal for both ranges - a pair of acoustic mirrors (also known as listening ears), based on the real WWI-era installation at Denge in Kent. They make perfect targets for bombing raids or ground assaults, or give you early warning of impending air-raids.

Rules for Aeronef can be found in issue 42 of Ragnarok if you're able to get hold of a copy. (and yes, I have a copy!)

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/LandIronclads/Terrain.html

Tiny Troublesome Fellas...

View Halloo Chaps! With the cook busy making some festive brandy pies and basting the goose under the Memsahib's careful instruction I retired after a lunch of crubeens and beetroot to the study and was browsing the interweb on my personal Babbage Machine when I discovered a new business organisation in the Little Wars market called Troublemaker Games.

[EDIT: Their new website is here: http://www.troublemakergames.co.uk/t300.htm]

Perusing their wares it appears they make available for purchase tiny models in what is known as 10 mil scale where the little soldiers are apparently just 10mm tall (one must confess that I am not quite sure what 10 mil is, sounds bloomin' Froggy to me, but apparently it is just under 1/2 an inch so bally small eh what?). Their range is some form of Wells inspired Land Ironclads scientific romance type with stalwart British types fighting the beastly Hun!

If one is quick one could get the man servant to purchase some for you before the festive period and snowy weather. Pip Pip!Ho!

Horns of the Buffalo

If you are serious about getting into the 1879 Zulu War, and can commit to a bit of painting!, then you may be interested in this figs and terrain mega-set from Warlord- if you get stuck into it over Christmas you might even be ready to play on the Anniversary of the battle next month!!!
http://www.warlordgames.com/14631/new%C2%A0horns-of-the-buffalo-rorkes-drift-collectors-set/

Yours on a White Wine Facebook

You may be interested to know that there is now a "Yours in a White Wine Sauce" page on facebook, which sends a telegram or some-such to your man servant to tell you something has been posted here.

Come along and join in the mess games!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yours-In-A-White-Wine-Sauce/312675768750836

WOTW: The New Generation

A 're-imagined' version of the War of the Worlds Musical? By Liam Neeson?
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/news/2011/Liam-Neeson-in-new-War-of-The-Worlds-16411.php

Gillivan's isles?

Back to work at last, and here are some islands, two from the Dreadfleet set, two improvised from discarded beach toys. At the rear is the dreaded 'hand of Neptune', actually a rather creepy doll hand reaching our from the sea. My VSF ships are still not deployed after the move to my new headquarters, so I had to borrow an old Man O' War ship to set the scene. The 'water' is the Dreadfleet mat, which in defiance of my original scepticism works quite well.

Now where are my ironclads......

Rorke's Drift Play Set

Gentlemen, and boys of a certain age and intelligence, will be pleased to learn that those wallahs at Warlord Games have released a Rorke's Drift play set complete with buildings, loads of blooming zulus and some stout redcoats so one can recreate the heroic battle using Well's Little Wars on the dining room table with a port once cook has cleared away the Christmas goose...

One can also send one's servant out to purchase more brave redcoats which will be damned useful for chaps paying Little Wars games against other nefarious foes such as the bally French or Martians.

The Photojournal of Surgeon Parks, RN

The Imperial War Museum now has wonderful online photos attributed to renowned Surgeon Oscar Parks taken during WW1.  
He was a RN medical officer who became the editor of Jane's Fighting ships in the 20 and 30s).  These are just a few of my favourites.
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?filter%5BmakerString%5D%5B0%5D=%22Surgeon%20Oscar%20Parkes%22&query=

HMS Abercrombie

HMS Bellerophon, 1918

HMS Canada

HMS Emperor of India, 1915

HMS Emperor of India

HMS Erin 1915

Forth Bridge, 1918

HMS Hercules

HMS Invincible, in the Falklnd Islands

HMS Iron Duke, 1917

HMS Lion, 1915

Brigade Xmas sale

Its time to get 15% off your Aeronef and Land Ironclads at the Brigade Models Christmas Sale!
http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Xmas.html

US Aero-navy Conversions

Have a look at these great conversions by Nic at "Fen Edge Wargaming" - some great new takes on Brigade's designs:
http://web.me.com/n.j.hawkins/Fen_Edge_Wargaming/Fen_Edge_Wargaming/Entries/2011/3/22_USN_Aeronef_Conversions.html

Prussian Sky Fortress 'Ziethen'

An inspirational model, you have to check out this dig styled carrier:
http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com/2011/11/dystopian-wars-prussian-sky-fortress.html

Les Mystères du Nautilus

During our recent visit to Paris, we surprised the Lad with a surprise trip to EuroDisney.  Aside from the other great bits about this day out was the "The Mysteries of the Nautilus" walk-through attraction, based on the 1954 Disney adaptation of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea (starring James Mason as Captain Nemo).

As a big fan of the movie (despite its departure from the novel) I really enjoyed this attraction and took a bunch of pictures.  Amused at my detailed observations, SWMBO reminded me at one point that it wasn't a museum at one point!  Anyway, I took a bunch of pictures from a modelling/design perspective.  The quality isn't great because of the lighting and crowds, but from an architectural perspective they do the job.


Captain Nemo's Cabin : This cabin shows the Captain's belongings and bunk.  One bulkhead is the main navigation chart, which has a neat brass armature which appears to track the submarine's position (which BTW was in the northern part of the Sandwich Islands)

The Chart Room : This room is the hub of the Nautilus, with staircases ascending to the wheelhouse and the main deck above (although these cannot be visited). Several charts are displayed, including one representing Vulcania (which I have posted here: http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/2008/09/vulcania.html), Nemo's lair in the movie.  The others were mostly of islands and areas in the Pacific Ocean (so no divulging the secret location of Altlantis!)

The Diving Chamber : In the center of this small chamber is a water well and diving suits hang on the wall.

The Main Salon : This is the heart of the Nautilus with books and  treasures of the sea gathered here. The Captain's organ stands on the far side and you can see Nemo's reflection when staring at the mirror just above the keys. One scuttle opens on the ocean's depths and you to witness the attack of the giant squid. As it approaches, its beak reaches for the submarine then gets repulsed by an electric charge.

The Engine Room : sadly no detail here or looking into the reactor like on the movie.

So overall I really enjoyed it in a nerdy VSF kind of way that few can appreciate!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Myst%C3%A8res_du_Nautilus



And some more pics taken by others of this attraction:
http://www.20kride.com/photos_other_p2.html