Vanvlak Industries financial report

It wasnt like this in the Sudan you know...

...or maybe it was, now I think about it!

The silly buggers over at the VSF and 15mm Wargaming Blog (http://vsf15mm.blogspot.com/) posted a great link the other day, and I have been perusing it with great interest.

http://sudan1883.blogspot.com/

Lots of great stuff there for the colonial and VSF gamer. I particularly like the recent emphasis on the Royal Marines, who often seem to be get sidelined for those smart looking chaps in their redcoats.

Thankyou Gentlemen!

Sad Loss Of Inspiration

From Graham Evans at Science versus Pluck

********************************************************
If any of you haven't noticed, that fine chronicler of Victorian
colonial warfare, George MacDonald Fraser died earlier this
week. I attach the notification from the BBC website.This is
obviously very sad for all fans of his writing & not just the
Harry Flashman books. Inevitably all of us who have read
and loved the books can only lament at the information we
will now never know. How did Flash Harry get to Mexico?
How did he fight on both sides of the ACW? How did he get
back from China?
*********************************************************
The only answer is for a noted author and fan of Victorian
memoirs to take up the challenge and complete
the series from GMF's notes.

*********************************************************
Anyway, to all members of the group, if you haven't already done
so, raise a glass to the memory of the finest historical novelist ever
this evening.

Graham

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7169047.stm

Gaming Resources

Here are some nifty sites that you might find useful:

Official seal generator:

http://www.says-it.com/seal/

Latin Motto generator

http://www.inrebus.com/latinmottogenerator.php

Newspaper article generators

http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp

http://www.getclippings.com/

Vanvlak Industries

We've had a slight reorganisation here at WWS and introduced a new article category: Vanvlak Industries

Now you can quickly and easily peruse the many and varied works of Mssr Vanvlak and be reminded of his impressive imagination and skills.

We here at WWS are honoured to hold the exclusive rights to display the products of Vanvlak Industries!

The Junior General

Zophiel kindly pointed me towards this great site today, which has a bunch of paper models ready to print and cut out for quick easy playing. They may not have the appeal of lead figures, but are cheapoer and quicker to play with, especially if you just want to try a game out without going to the expence of buying the models.

Pretty much anything you can think of is here, from Dinosaurs and Cavemen to Colonial Troopers of varying Nationalities and Regiments. There are also some great pre-dreadnought models which could work very well for Aquanef, such as the Russian Heavy Cruiser Admiral Makarow above, and these US Civil War Ironclads.

http://juniorgeneral.org/ancients.htm

CRYPTO-CRITTERS Anthology Series

CRYPTO-CRITTERS I

A terrific new collection of stories featuring crypto-zoological subjects from around the world! Everything from Big Foot to pink elephants is tackled in this one, and the most fun for visitors to this website, of course, is the fact that CJ has two stories in this one.

CRYPTO-CRITTERS II

In remote parts of the planet they lurk, the unknown, the unsuspected, the sometimes rumored ... they are the creatures of myth and legend, until someone finally finds one and pulls it whole and breathing into the modern age. This is it, the much anticipated follow-up to the original smash hit, Crypto-Critters, and it’s packed with the best crypto-zoological sci fi, fantasy and horror stories of all time. Join Bruce Gehweiler, Patrick Thomas, James Chambers, John Sunseri, Edmund R. Schubert, Diane Raetz, Scott Thomas, Graham Watkins and, as you might suspect, our own C.J., who brings three tales to this stunning sequel!

http://www.cjhenderson.com/store_anth.html

Scratchbuilt Aeronef protoype revealed!

Eli at "I see Lead People" has revealed his mate's first attempt at a Nef - I cant wait to see what else he comes up with!

http://leadpeople.blogspot.com/2007/12/ether-final-frontier.html

Mad Scientist President?

Just to prove that all is not well in the former colony (and you shouldnt have rebelled should you?), a mad Scientist is now running for President. Of course, he cant be a very good mad Scientist if he is actually going through the democratic process rather than just seizing power through some kind of doomsday device...

Just in time for the Iowa caucus and owing to the fact that I am not entirely pleased with any candidate being offered by the major parties, I am glad to announce my candidacy for President of the United States. As I recently stated on the Exile Games forum, I will be running on the Mad Scientist party ticket.

At a recent press conference, one of my carefully placed plants in the audience raised a cunningly scripted question about my stance on zombies. Here was my spontaneously pre-packaged response:

I'm glad you raised that issue. Millions of Americans such as yourselves are rightly concerned with this clear and present threat to our way of life. My voting record will show a strong and decisive response to this concern based on three key principals: preparation, research, and response.

Preparation: I have repeatedly stated that zombie survival hinges on resource management. Therefore, through tax incentives to private citizens and auto manufacturers, I will strive to ensure that every household in America is prepared with a basic survival kit including water, chainsaws for both utility and defense, lumber to board up windows, and car batteries that will insure every car made in this country will start on the first turn of the key, even in the dark with a legion of Oogie-Boogies shambling towards you.

Research: Some of my detractors have suggested that we should ban all zombie-related research. However, this would mean that Al Qaeda has won. Such strictures would weaken our nation's economy and erode our God-given right to play Prometheus in our basement laboratories. We cannot allow America to suffer from a Zombie Gap any more than we can afford a Giant Robot Gap or a Deathray Gap. In the past, those of us in the Mad Scientist party have been accused of not doing enough to ensure adequate safety procedures in our zombie research facilities based on a few isolated incidents of our studies spilling over into the general population and leading to plagues of brain-munching ghouls. I will insist on the highest attention to safety; under my budget, for every 8 billion dollars spent on zombie research, companies will be required to spend $3.79 on a really good padlock to keep the undead blighters in their pens. That ought to take care of it.

Response: In the event of the inevitable zombie breakout, I will personally parachute into the afflicted area equipped with running shoes, camouflage cargo shorts, my kukri, a pump action shot gun, and all the ammo bandoleers I can carry. Within forty-eight hours, the zombie threat will be quelled. That is my campaign promise to you.

I hope I can count on your vote in the upcoming primaries. Vote for me and I'll put a ninja on every corner and two in between. Thank you.

http://supersech.livejournal.com/32230.html

Hangovers...

Like me, you probably have a shocker right now...try Naughty Nelly's patented elixir:

The Almighty Hangover Emergency Cure
2 aspirins
600mg vitamin C
1 tablet vitamin B-complex
1 banana 1 small can V8 (or any vegetable juice)
6 large strawberries
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup orange juice
1-2 cups milk (or soy milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of nutmeg

Preparation time: 10 minutes (or longer depending on just how bad your hangover is...)
Serves 1

National Geographic Map Collection

Over a hundred years of searchable, zoom-able maps here - just the thing for planning an expedition or next season's campaign!

http://www.ngmapcollection.com/

Military Memoirs

..being "a game of reminiscences over dinner to be enjoyed by a number of fellows of good cheer"

- sounds like fun eh? Something fun to do with your friends on New Years Eve perhaps!

http://www.wargamedevelopments.org/game_downloads/Military%20Memoirs.pdf

Another Vanvlakian Astronef creation!

Introducing the new HMS TERIBUS, lead vessel of a new class of single aether-screw low orbit bombardment monitor. Another brilliant Vanvlak creation!

Another T&C Review

...has been posted to the Lost World Gamers group:

On Christmas Eve, the last gift to myself arrived. The T&C rulebook and an elasmotherium.

Looking over the rules a bit it appears that this does incorporate the best of both SS and MM and adds a bit more. He says as much in the beginning of the book. He's really tried to make it easy to play without a GM, so solo play should be simple enough.


I don't think it'd be too hard to create dino stats for it either, though first I might expand the prehistoric mammals slightly. The animals included cover a wide array, and include several outside of the DeeZee range, but there is one glaring omission in my book: glyptodonts. I'll have to have a go at them when I find time.

Also, I think I'm going to have to get around to ordering a few more of the DeeZee animals. The elasmotherium looks great, and there are a few others I wouldn't mind owning.

Anyway, anyone still undecided on whether to get the rules or not - I'd say they are probably worth it. Despite the expense, they still cost less than some of my miniatures.

Dictionary of Imaginary Places

When you need a quick name of a place to conquer!
http://supersech.livejournal.com/32230.html