Yours in a White Wine Sauce!

Friday, 21 January 2011

Zulus Sir - thousands of them!

"March slowly, attack at dawn and eat up the red soldiers."

- Zulu King Cetshwayo's order to the 24,000 strong main Zulu impi

Painting of the Battle by Charles Fripp - I have a print of this in my Dining Room.

Today is the Anniversary of the Battle of Isandlwana, in 1879. This battle rocked Victorian Britain when the Zulus wiped out a substantial British force including the 1st Battalion, 24th Foot.

Lt. Colonel Pulleine was in command of 1774 British troops encamped on the eastern slope of Isandlwana. By 10am Pulleine had received a dispatch from Lt. Gen. Lord Chelmsford to break camp and move the entire contingent to Chelmsford’s location 13 miles southeast of Isandlwana mountain. Tents were being struck, oxen hitched to wagons.

At 12 o’clock the camp was attacked by 24-25 000 Zulu warriors, using the tactics of the horns of the buffalo. The Zulus totally surrounded the camp annihilating 1 329 British soldiers. Lt. Melvill gallantly attempted to save the Queen’s colour and was helped by Lt. Coghill whilst trying to cross the Buffalo river. Lt's. Melvill and Coghill died in their attempt to save the colour and the honour of the regiment.

Thou great and mighty chief!
Thou who has an army
The red soldiers came:
We destroyed them.
The mounted soldiers came:
We destroyed them.
The mounted police came:
We destroyed them
When will they dare
To repeat their attack?

Zulu Victory Song, sung after the Battle of Isandlwana

The Zulus then went on to surround and attack the British outpost at the small mission of Rourke's Drift, but that had a very different outcome...

(Don't tell her, but I remember my Mum's birthday because its the same day!)

Wednesday, 19 January 2011

Steampunk'd

This is an interesting collection of 14 short-stories covering a broad range of VSF themes.

All the stories are by different authors and this collection includes contributions by Michael Stackpole and William Dietz.

Lots of rousing, steam turbine powered stuff and definately worth a read (with a good claret and a stilton, by the fire of course!)

Monday, 10 January 2011

Imperial Steam Walker

Brilliant!

Sunday, 9 January 2011

Imperial Moon

A clever chap has dressed up a 1/6 "Action Man" style figure as a Victorian Astronaught and concocted this background to go with him - bravo!

In 1899, Britain added the Moon to it's Empire. The mission was the result of decades of work by the Empire's greatest engineers, scientists and mathematicians and culminated with Captain William Harland (Royal Navy) planting the British flag on the lunar surface.

Over the following week, he explored the area around his landing site - collecting samples of rock and dust (to study back in his spacecraft) and making observations of the nearby highlands.

Like every good Victorian Explorer, he took a rifle with him in case he found something to shoot! In this case the rifle is air powered and can fire 20 shots before needing reloading (such a rifle was used for real by Lewis and Clark on their Expedition in the early 1800's).

Unfortunately, there was no plan for getting him back to Earth, and after transmitting his final findings back to Earth by wireless, he was never heard of again...

http://www.onesixthcollectors.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6954
Personally, I dont think we've heard the last of dashing Captain Harland!

Friday, 7 January 2011

When the Navy Walked

Now has a new website here and starts with this smashing intro:

On the shores of a sleepy island in the Mediterranean
Miklos hunkered down in the trench just in front of the tree line. The crashing waves were in front of him and his fellow Crispo's - and riding in on them were the landing boats from the Spanish naval ships sitting off the coast.
'Yes, come you dogs.'He thought. 'Our land forces will give you one hell of a fight!'

He knew that the costal defense ships had been beaten back by the incoming fleet - he only hoped the navy had given as well as it got.

He glimpsed to his right and he could see the precious Gatling gun that the Crispan government had bought from the Confederate States of America. That, along with a few boxes of rifles and a few old cannons was all that stood between the freedom of his home island and the domination of the Spanish conquistadors.

As the boats made the breakers, the cannons behind his position and the Gatling gun opened up, and he could see the Spaniards making for the beach. The hellfire of the gatling cut down many of the attackers before they could even get out of the water.

For a moment, Miklos allowed himself a glimmer of hope that if they could push back strongly enough the Spaniards would be forced to reconsider their desire to make the island one of their territories.
With a loud blast that glimmer was gone as suddenly the bunker where the Gatling gun was became an inferno. Loud whistles, followed cannon blasts behind him, suggested that the cannons were also under a barrage of fire.
It was now, as the fight become more fierce, that Miklos noticed a ship which had come in closer than the others. The thought of it broken on the shallows almost made him smile.
Almost.

Until ever so slowly the ship began to rise up out of the water on enormous metal wheels affixed to the hull below the water line. The ungainly and clumsy craft raised itself up above the water and began to advance onto the beach itself. The landship rained down a hellfire of artillery from its heavier guns, as well as sheets of lead from troopers inside the beast firing from the side port holes.

All around him, Miklos could see his compatriots. The fear was evident on their faces as many dropped their rifles and ran away from the mechanical monstrosity. Elsewhere, the dead lay with the same fearful expression permanently affixed.

In his heart, Miklos wanted to take up his rifle and fight for his freedom, for his nations very existence.
His head knew better and he took to flight with the others.
The battle, like the Island of Crispo's sovereignty, was at an end.
A new Era among the superpowers had begun.

Thursday, 6 January 2011

More action on the Red Planet

I found this blog recently, which amongst other things has some lovely VSF action from Fall-In! this year - air and land action goodness on the Red Planet.
http://onemoregamingproject.blogspot.com/2010/11/fall-in-10-hawks-room-report.html

I hope those damned savages didnt damage the drinks cabinet - its a long way back to restock ones' claret and brandy supplies you know!

Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Citistates Of Mars

Recently popped into the Services Club for a bit of tiffin with Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond who had just returned from a stint in Khalabar and we started reminiscing about the funny things the local Burpas tried against our valiant troops including of all things an exploding goat!

Funny thing was looking it up on the old Babbage machine back home on the estate I found a bunch of colonials across the pond have set up an enterprise called Exploding Goat Games. Now I couldn't find any games about exploding goats in their telephoescopic catalogue but they appear to be working on a Little Wars type endeavour called Citistates of Mars.

They say it is full of "martian escapades of the Hero of Mars. Four-armed green Martians, red-skinned Martian princesses, strange beasts… its all here", which sounds a bit like the adventures that Yankee freebooter that Burroughs chappie chronicled.

Whatever, it sounds promising and could be a valuable aid for young officers about to embark on colonial service on the red planet (even if it doesn't include an exploding goat).

Tuesday, 28 December 2010

A Jolly Good Show!

Huzzah chaps! Jolly good news from the colonies down under! Our chaps have retained the Ashes, wrapping up the Aussies before lunch on day four. Watched it all on one of those new chronophotographic players with a bit of game pie and a bottle of brandy whilst the Memsahib was abed. Three cheers to Messrs Strauss and co. Bring on the bally Hindustanis next, eh what?

Saturday, 25 December 2010

Dystopian Wars: Review

Has been posted by the podcast "The D6 Generation" in episode 70.
Its 1hr 11min into the show and its sufficiently detailed that it goes for over an hour!

You'll find the D6G here: http://www.thed6generation.com/

Friday, 24 December 2010

Wishing you a Very Merry....

Have a great and safe one everybody,
and wishing you a gaming filled 2011!
(thanks to Brigade Models for the pic!)

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Solid Earth Bases

Gentlemen, I understand that some of you like to mount your toy soldiers on scenic bases whilst playing a game of Little Wars on the carpet. If so you may wish to send the man servant off to purchase some from a company in the colonies called Fiendish Fabrications who make some jolly designs including clockwork, gothic horror and wild west.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Pax Britannia book reviews

In recognition of Mssr Blease's recent reviews here of the Pax Britannia books, erudite gentleman and author Mssr Green has posted a link to WWS at his own Blog here:
http://jonathangreenauthor.blogspot.com/2010/12/pax-britannia-book-reviews.html

But not only that, he has also posted a short story as a Christmas present to all, titled "SILENT KNIGHT, or, 'TWAS THE DARK KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS"
http://abaddonbooks.blogspot.com/2010/12/and-pax-britannia-freebie.html

Told you he is a smashing Chap!

Tuesday, 21 December 2010

Spring Heeled Jack

Gentlemen, with the festive season now upon us, it is important that we all keep our wits about us and twelve-bore to hand to protect our loved ones and wine collections from nefarious villians such as the one shown here in this chronophotographic record of the bounder known as Spring Heeled Jack!

Seemed appropriate for post 666! :-)

Monday, 20 December 2010

Steam Trek: The Moving Picture

Gentlemen, further research on my personal Babbage engine has unearthed this exciting chronophotographic record of the adventures of the crew of an astronef on an alien planet, though I must confess I am slightly dubious to its veracity in parts...

Saturday, 18 December 2010

Pax Britannia: Dark Side

Blooming Memsahib! Seems she toke umbridge about my reference to cook's Christmas Puddings yesterday and has banished me to the gardener's potting shed. Daft old bird... Fortunately with the snow laying all crisp and even I had the good sense to grab a bit of game pie, a bottle of brandy, my cigars and the latest Pax Britannia penny dreadful!

That wordsmith Green don't half knock them out you know? Dark Side is the newest Quicksilver adventure and what a hoot, definitely the best to date! Following his brother Barty to the her Majesty's colony on the moon, we meet up with characters from the short story Vanishing Point and have astronef, Martian separatist anarchists, asteroids, mechanical automatons on the rampage, more pesky Nazi Prussians, a plethora of fillies, a series of murders, infernal devices, selenites, secret bases, tragedy, vengeance and the possibility of the end of everything, everywhere! Blimey, one needed a stiff one after all that I can tell you!! Hats off to Mister Green for a highly entertaining romp...

As usual he treats us with a short Quicksilver story entitled Proteus Unbound. A tragic tale featuring two of the survivors from the Leviathan penny dreadful that brought a veritable lump to the throat and proof to gentlemen everywhere to be wary of what those medical quacks try and force down your throat to cure your gout of lumbago! I'll be making sure mine takes a quick swig first in future I can tell you!