HMS WASP & Adventures on the Red Planet

This week I added to my hobby archive with this back issue of FineScale Modeller, from way back last century (September 1992):

which I got for this wonderful article:

The article's author Dan has now reposted more pics and details of this project, previously lost from his old site, which you can find here:

https://ourworlds.net/gallerynew/index.php/HM-Aerial-Gunboat-Wasp

Not so incidentally, in chatting with Dan via email this week I discovered he has also authored this book, Adventures on the Red Planet, sporting his HMS WASP on the cover. Naturally, I have also added this to my archive and am enjoying it. You can find it here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1502969513

You can find Dan's other great modelling projects on his Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1810926807

A Zulu Fort...for Mars?

Imagine this...with a liftwood observation post floating above it!

 

Just posting a quick article I came across in an old, old Magazine for making a Zulu War encampment by Mr Ian Weekley himself. Naturally, this sparked the idea of one for Mars for my Legion troops to defend against hordes of savage Hill Martians!

click for larger version

click for larger version

In fact this article comes from the hallowed pages of Miniature Wargames Issue 26 from July 1985, well back in last century (and almost 40 years ago in fact!)

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Which reminded me of the lovely Martian Fort from the Slaute "Couldships of Mars" project of...well, a long time ago anyway

Pics courtesy of: http://www.werelords.com/cloudships/fort.htm

WIP pics showing construction detail:

The Chances of Anything Coming from Mars...

Currently on a flying work trip through the UK, but I did get the chance to stop briefly in Woking for a homage to HG Wells. He lived in the town while writing War of the Worlds in 1895-97, using it as the setting for the initial part of the book.

The first alien cylinder lands in Horsell Common, assembling heat ray equipped machines where they impact in the sandpit

The 7 metre tall Tripod itself in the centre of town!

With a crashed cylinder and some of Mankind's bacterial allies in attendance

Nearby Wells Plaza has a nice statue of the author; 

Note the martian red weed at the base of the chair, date on the back of the chair from The Time Machine (when the Traveller meets with Eloy and Morlocks) and he is holding the Cavorite sphere spaceship from The First Men in the Moon.

"The Man from Maybury Hill"; 141 Maybury Road Woking, where HG Wells lived while writing the book

Just a nice spot to enjoy a coffee and consider invasion from another world (nice product placement there Games Workshop!)

"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a Million to One they said..."

Space 1889: A Return to the Red Planet

Has it really been a year since we last visited the fractious Earthmen colonies on Mars? Sadly yes and not just because of COVID, though that kept us away from the gaming table. To be honest our selected rules weren't delivering the experience we wanted and interested had waned. Having made some changes to Lion Rampant (with the help of one of the playtesters) we were set to return to the Red Planet

Commanding my French Colonial forces, I had 2 units of Foreign Legion, 2 units of French trained Canal Martian infantry (Tiralleurs Martiens) and a Canal Martian artillery crew equipped with a Mitralleuse (which we all know was designed before the Gatling gun and being of French design is far superior). The French objective was to secure the European archeologists who were plundering exploring and documenting the priceless artefacts within.

The French archeologists at the Martian ruins dig site, threatened by steppe Martians

Under the direction of their French Officers, Canal Martian Tiralleurs advance to the dig site

White the Foreign Legion sets up to cover their flank

and quickly come under a frontal assault by Martial Hill tribesman, which they repulsed.

In the meantime, the British Queen's Own Martian Rifles advanced on my far left to secure the supplies of precious liftwood that had recently been harvested

The British troops from the Syrtis Major garrison

But who is this advancing out of the Steppe...

Tharks!!!

Back on my side the 1st Tiralleurs unit advanced on the ruins but their assault was thrown back in disarray with the second unit unable to support effectively.

They never recovered from this setback and fell back slowly, but remaining intact. Meanwhile the Steppe Martians isolated the Legionnaires from the front with infantry...

and the rear with cavalry...

Steppe Martian cavalry on Gashants attack the French rear but are repulsed

And on my right flank the mounted battle was fiercely contested...

and my Legionnaires watched as fellow Frenchmen of the Zouvre regiment were overrun and massacred

As the battle raged, French morale held firm and so did the Line, the proud notes of the Legion bugler sounding clear and steading the men's nerves as they fought for France in the Red Deserts so far from it.

I did not achieve my objectives, but my force held out and only one unit lost.  French newspapers would tout this stoic defence as a Victory against untold numbers of Steppe Barbarians, but this was of little solace to the families of the missing Archeologists. The Martian Steppe tribes achieved all their goals and carried the day.

Overall it was a really enjoyable game - the rules were right on for a fun game and plenty of tweaks were made. Keen to try again, adding in some mechanical contraptions.

The weapons (and barbettes) are all magnetic and can be changed out

Separately, I was thrilled to be gifted this wonderful Armoured Cloudship to lead the French airship squadron - the Escadre de Chasse Ideaus Fons! Thank you very much to Andrew, the gifted naval architect responsible - c'est magnifique!

Perfect for crewing with 28mm figures