The balance of power upset?

Greetings old chap,
long time no see and all that - but the hush-hush job I'm in keeps me away from the writing desk. A remarkable event has occured over the lagoon - the Venetians are calling it a miracle, and a portent; I'd sum it up as a phenomenon, and one which could well tip the balance of power. I've seen it with my very eyes, old boy. A dashed great Aeronef of unknown design. All modern looking - newer than new, if you grasp my meaning. It even has one of those newfangled aeroplane flimsies mounted atop a long rail which apppears to serve the purpose of launching the contraption. There's rumour that dashed time machine merchant is involved; and agent 7 says there is some notion that 'Philadelphia' is somehow related to this business, although our American ears hear nothing. Confound it, the Mediterranean is all upset again! Ah well, chin up and all that.
Cheers, old fellow, and keep the od sauce bowl warm.

Eisarn tolc dug...

The mechanisms by which the Martians transmit their communiqués is not well understood and those who postulate that we might expect to hear a word or two when the interlopers are in extreme distress may — in the course of time — be proven wholly false.
But as of this date we may add at least three new words to the growing lexicon of non-terrestrial words. Whether they describe the ship, its operations, or pertain to some other subject entirely — we do not yet know.

The above is a work-in-progress, scratchbuilt Martian Nef.

The Lost Valley of Morvalistan!

A group of chaps travel around the Land of Morvalistan, seeking to rescue their chums from the clutches of the reptilian inhabitants of the Lost valley!

http://www.morvalearth.co.uk/Lost%20World/Lost_Wld_gal_01.htm

Good show!

Tea - Milk or Lemon?

an age old question indeed...

Earl Grey gets Lemon. English breakfast gets Milk. Green tea gets neither and shouldn't truely even have sweetner.If you ice black tea, it should have lemon, even it's a milk-getting variety... however, iced thai tea has sweetned condensed milk.... that hits the spot!

If having milk, does it go in before or after the tea?

The answer is purely scientific old Boy!

http://www.stashtea.com/tt111298.htm

Oxygen for Aeronaughts!

I saw this in the latest Gazette and thought that Aerostat and Dig crews would find this very useful...
---------------
2006 Darwin Awards #2 - (3 June 2006, Florida) The feet of Jason and Sara, both 21, were found protruding from a deflated, huge helium advertising balloon.

Jason was a college student, and Sara attended community college, but apparently their education had glossed over the importance of oxygen.

The pair pulled down the 8' balloon, and climbed inside. Their last words consisted of high-pitched, incoherent giggling as they slowly passed out and passed into the hereafter. Sheriff's deputies said the two were not victims of foul play. No drugs or alcohol were found. The medical examiner reported that helium inhalation was a significant factor in their deaths.
---------------
Aeronaughts be warned!

Italian Interlude

While Tas is sorting himself out and smoking a thin pantella, I thought I'd chime in with a photo of my recently painted Italians (exclusive to Y.I.A.W.W.S.).

Got to exercise them on Mars this weekend. In the finest tradition of the hobby, I finished painting them at 1am the night before the game. They accomplished little, but at least did not die in droves like my Russians.

I have started a battle report over in the shed, until then, cherrio!

Officer Qualities!

What a fantastic quote!:

"An Officer should be comely, spratly and above all else, confident in his own dress and bearing.

He should, where possible, eat a small piece of meat each morning with molasses and beans.

He should air himself gracefully when under fire and never place himself in a position of difficulty when being shot at.

He should eat his meals comfortably and ahead of his soldiers, for it is he who is more important tactically on the battlefield and therefore he who should be well nourished.

His hair should be well groomed and if possible he should adorn a moustashe or similar facial adornment.

When speaking to his soldiers he should appear unnerved and aloof and give direction without in any way involving himself in the execution of arduous or unofficer like duties.

He should smoke thin pantellas except when in the company of ladies when he should take only a small gin mixed with lemon tea.

He should be an ardent and erudite gentleman and woo the ladies both in the formal environment and in the bedroom where he should excel himself beyond the ordinary soldier with his virulent love making prowess.

These I say to you are the qualities of an Officer that set him apart from the lay person and the common soldier"

Lieutenant General Hubert Worthington
Commander In Chief
5th Royal Indian Mountain Division
Bombay
12 December, 1907

A Journey into the Hindu-kush!

...well maybe not quite that far!

This Officer has received marching orders from their Lordships at the Regimental Appointments Office, and so its time to clear out of this barracks and move into new quarters. As long as the new place has a decently oversized drinks cabinet and a good menu I'm sure all will be well...

It will take me about a fortnight to get myself sorted out and back online regularly. In the meantime I trust you will all carry on with this sillyness and continue to have fun in this world of aeronefs, land ironclads, aquanefs and VSF!

Yours in a Whte Wine Sauce,

Tas

Battle in the Skies

The Basement Generals, noted for their high quality VSF and Pulp gaming, had a slight diversion into things aeronef and you can see at this page of thier great website.

In this stouch, a Britis Aero-fleet is ambushed by foul Frenchies and the vile Hun. Then a mad professor intervenes with his array of experimental weapons....




Have a look to find out more about this battle and their "Master of the World" campaign!

http://basementgenerals.mtswebsites.com/basement_generals17.htm

Martian Tripods on the way!

It has been reported that Brigade Models will soon have

1/1200 scale Martian Tripods as designed by Germi.

This will increase the threat to the Human Race, but then that is how Heroes are made.

Let us prepare for this onslaught and ready our resolve to win for the Human Race and for the Empire.

White Dwarf!

(being an aeromobile, and not a magazine...!)

Following Monday 8th's post about aerial bicycles, Steve Blease (of Wessex fame......or should that be infamy?) sent me this email with a link:

"Following the White Wine posting I spotted this in the local freebie paper..."

Yes, the "White Dwarf" is a true bicycle dirigible! Of course a pintle mounted Gardner gun or Gatling to cover the front arc would make it a tad more 'neffish, but still - I'm rather impressed!

Follow the link to read the story behind the White Dwarf and see more pics of her in action, including some canyon flying:
http://home.teleport.com/~reedg/whitedwarf.html

Thanks for the link Steve!

...of Weybridge and Shepperton

In these times there seems no dearth of interpretation of the machines visited upon us by the Martians. The latest of these are reportedly based on the illustrations of Alvim Correa (1906). The expected arrival was to have been for this past Christmas but there have been, as yet, no sightings.

For a more detailed account... http://www.retrokit.net/79.html

Le Grand Cirque

"The Grand Circuit Races (aka 'Le Grand Cirque' by the French and everyone else) is a game of "Conveyance racing" in a weird but whimsical Victorian age loaded with technological possibilities. Players assume the role of racers, competing on behalf of their nation or political faction. "

You can find Walt O'Hara's fun game as a free download here:

http://mrnizz.tripod.com/legrandcirque.htm

There is even a clever variant for racing on Horsell Common during the martian Invasion - watchout for the falling cyclinders!

So let out the brakes, activate the dynamo, and wind up the springs - you're off and racing!

Ingenious Engines and Clockwork Enigmas!

"Being in the main a utile and eclectic compendium of information and resources for simulating the fantastical adventures and speculative conflicts using vigorous imagination, miniature figurines, and scenics cunningly crafted."

A great page with some interesting VSF links for both Wargaming and RPG

http://www.circagames.com/Resources/IECE_Index.html

Raptors!

Well chaps, here are some pics I snapped while out hunting with the Chaps from the International Society of Leviathan Hunters.

Nasty critters these Raptors, small and agile. One cant hear them bashing through the jungle toward you like those big Sauropods or big Carnivores. These beasties stalk you themselves and tend to attack in packs. Its always good to have a smart chap with a shotgun or something to help put them down in case of a suprise attack.


Modelling Notes

I got these models from the ever friendly Nic Robson and the perpetually helpful boys at Eureka Miniatures, in Melbourne Australia. These come from his 28mm Pax Limpopo range, though they are quite useable as bigger game for 15mm figures.

All models, including the pack of 3, are very flexible and can be manipulated quite easily into different shapes. All models painted by yours truly and based with static grass and kitter litter 'rocks'.


When you arent hunting them on a private reserve for exhorbitant fees, you can use your raptors for playing Wagers of Sin:

'Street urchins race savage velociraptors around the fetid sewers of Victorian London in a base travesty of the sport of kings. You can wager your ill-gotten gains on the outcome"

Sounds like a jolly good lark eh?

You can find Nic's Eureka Miniatures site here: http://eurekamin.com.au/
and the Wagers of Sin rules here: http://eurekamin.com.au/images/WAGERSOFSINRULES.jpg