Beneath the Waves

Just cant wait for Aquanef any longer? These interesting rules may keep your boiler steaming in the meantime!



"BtW is a simple fast played board game where you battle steampunk submarines against each other. The game involves crew management, planned movement, all sorts of weapons and more. All you need is provided here except some dice and luck.BtW is played as a board game but can also be played an as huge floor-top game the way we done it at shows. But you don't need to go that far, using cardboard and paper gets you far enough, or you might build some small submarines from scratch. Take a look of what we have done to find some inspiration for your game."


http://www.pm-production.nu/beneath-the-waves.php

Brigade pre-Release sneak peak

David has followed his review of his Brigade pre-releases (see entry for 26 April) with some pics.
"I've gone for a size-comparison approach, using some of the well-known bits of Irregular's scenery (don't ask we which bits!) and a couple of downed nef's (advantage of magnetic inserts) for comparison."

First of all, the new naval platforms with a few larger Aeronefs for size comparison:

Next, some closeups of the LI and Martian bits next to some Irregular terrain and AA batteries for scale

Many thanks indeed David - those ranges fit very well togetherand the scale comparison is very useful. Its obviously a picture of Mayberry Hill with that crashed cylinder there!

Cheers!

Green Blood and Red Blood for Mars

Found this interesting tidbit today...from the wonderfully named "Deep Fried Happy Mice: The World’s First Online Miniatures Restaurant (Please Wait To Be Seated)"

"Green Blood and Red Blood for Mars was originally published to cover tactical mass warfare on Mars during the Victorian Science Fiction Era of the late 1800s. Units with twenty men as well as those with 500 men can be represented on the board.

Scales
One casting = 10 men
One turn = one minute
20mm+ castings : One inch = ten yards OR One centimeter = 5 yards
15mm /6mm castings : One inch = twenty yards OR One centimeter = 10 yards."

http://www.deepfriedhappymice.com/html/gw_vsf_ice.html

Hmmm....Blue, Green and Yellow Martians, 6 and 8 legged natives beasts...I wonder how they would go with a conversion for 2mm?

Brigade website updated

As promised, the Brigade Models website has been updated with pics of their newest releases, including this lovely Turkish war Balloon! (several of which will shortly be deployed to my garage for scientific research)

You can see "whats new" from the Brigade Home page here, with direct linkages to the pics of the new Nefs - enjoy!

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Frames/index.html

New Brigade Models reviewed

David from the Wessex Games VSF has posted some reviews on the latest from brigade which he managed to pik up at SALUTE. This is what he says:

Here's my thoughts on the pre-production stuff from Brigade.
Please note that the production moulds may differ!

Naval
Landing craft and mortar barge.
Cracking models, well finished to usual Brigage style/standard. Landers come in large (45x20mm) & small (13x10) Is there a medium? Barge is snappy, deep with seperate mortar, 20x10 All could supply nef conversions.

Aussie Ironclad.
Nice model, slick, crisp, good small detail. 55x11.

Other river monitor or similar?
Uses Yank turrets and lots of them, so I'm guessing this is a static defensive piece of Yank design. No doubt my attempts at assembly will differ from the intended! The high control tower (24) call out to be put on a carrier!

Martians
Oh! The cylinders! Showing them to a non-player, she identified them correctly. That's the way to do it! I have 2 different, one slightly longer base, second unscrewed. Martians are difficult to tell apart in a zip lock bag, but here goes!

3 legged walker
1) has 4 legs and a heat ray3 legged walker
2) has 3 legs and a long probiscus(!)
4 legged walker has 5 legs and 2 collector/close combat type claws

Tall walker
1) is 4 legged with heat ray Tall walker
2) is 3 legged with probiscus.

I didn't get any bases.As the bodies are all the same size with minor differences in attatchment sockets, you can mix & match to make a variety of models. The addition of extra legs is gonna lead to some interesting conversions!


Tony from Brigade has since clarified "We probably won't ship the bases with the models after all - they are such a chunk of metal that they will distort the price, plus they don't fit Li basing standards ! We might offer them seperately."

Land Leviathans

French medium, comes with double-ended top shown or second with one big gun. 25x10mm

Some of these have wooden decks! Remember the post about Venusians? Russian cheap production jobs? Love the tall wheeled job. A Yank, maybe, part of a new land train? I like the idea of seperate/changeable tops. I have the idea that a few real giants are coming, Ogre style!All smaller contraptions come on sprue of 3 different. Brits are 10x5mm, turn any of them over and there's enough detail to use them as destroyed decoration on bases. Germans and French are a little smaller. Lone possibly French large contraption, 18x7mm of sleek cruser? Really nice sculpt, tracks are quite seperate from main body, rear twin guns are very crisp. My Russian sprues come with only 2, one being the Dmitriev Land Cruiser, 14x4, and the other a fantastic little armoured car type reminiscent of a bren carrier or "funny", 4mm square!

That's all folks, now wait for the pikkies!

Tony from Brigade also said "I'll be updating our website with these (and more) this week."

Thanks very much for the detailed information David - Great stuff!

New Aeronefs Launched!

.

Brigade have announced their latest releases, just in time for SALUTE (for those of you lucky to live in Old Blighty!)

US Lincoln class Battleship £6.00

US Baton Rouge class Cruiser £3.00

US Saginaw class Frigate £1.00

.
US Decatur class Frigate £1.00

US Fleet Pack #3 £18 (contains two of each of the above)

Turkish Sakarya class Dig Destroyer £1.75

Turkish War Balloon £1.50

Russian Strashchni class Destroyer £1.25

German DA-19 class Torpedo Frigate

.

A few weeks ago they also made available some bits for those who wish to up-gun their existing nefs, or even for loading into an indig. design

.

VAN-7021 - US Single Gun turrets x12

VAN-7022 - US Twin Gun turrets x12

.

Looks like the arms race is alive and well!

Hopefully, they will updates and have other pictures on their website shortly!

.

WOTW by GASLIGHT

Giant (Reviresco) tripods smash through the English countryside, but the gunners of the Royal Artillery have set an ambush. Several are smashed down, their alien occupants splashed to oblivion!

http://www.tin-soldier.com/wow.htm

Land Ironclads delayed, but new pics at Brigade Models

Sadly there is news that the Land Ironclad rules by Wessex (for which I was also fortunate to be a playetster) will be delayed. Initially due for release at SALUTE, the influx of real life work to the boys at Wessex has necessitated a delay. There is an official relase at TMP about it http://theminiaturespage.com/news/945758/



As Brigade Models are synchronising their LI model range's release with the rules, they will be delayed also. But the good news is that the Brigade Models Design Page has been updated with some nice pics of painted protoypes of their forthcoming LI range. There are some crackers there (such as the British contraptions shown here), and now you have more time to plan your purchases!

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Frames/New/index.html

Gaming News: Grimm's Lost World (26 March 2007)

.

Visit exciting & exotic Grimm's World, home to the fauna and flora that time forgot!

Hi Everyone,

Ace Reporter Maksim-Smelchak reporting from Grimm Port, fantastic entryway to THE LOST WORLD!

There are many beautiful women on the island even if the clothing is at times lacking!

Solution: Don't wear ANY!

Continuing the Lost World theme running lately here at YIAWWS, you may wish to look up Grimm's verison of it. Here are some lovely figures (...beautiful women, dashing heroes, salty sailors, etc.), beautifully painted and well photographed. Inspiring stuff!

Digging expeditions are available for the eggheads in your party!

You never know just what you might turn up!

And don't forget to check out his other very impressive galleries as well!

Find the site HERE:
http://grimm.backofbeyond.de/gallery_lost_world.html

In such a beautiful and pristine environment, the local animals really GROW!

Here, some locals are interacting with a cute and fuzzy animal!

Ace Reporter Maksim-Smelchak signing off!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

Professor Longfellow's Field Guide to Badly Painted Dinosaurs

That saucy scientist Professor Priscilla Longfellow has published an account of her incredible Camp Cretaceous. Filled with great steroscopic images of her specimens, it is guaranteed to give you a good idea of what you are going after before you see it through a gunsight!

Prof. Longfellow poses in front of her prize Brachiosaurus at Camp Cretaceous. Pic from Professor Longfellow's Field Guide site.

Good show Professor. Perhaps we could chat more about your adventures over dinner eh?!

http://www.geocities.com/tempest_raiko/index.html

More Dino Hunters!

Come meet Lord and Lady Bloominton, their friends Sir Samuel Baker, Lord and Lady Manchester and their guides. Some lovely individuals gagging to bag some big game on a Saurian Safari!

http://www.twfigurines.de/vict/vict2.htm

The Lost World

If you are interested in the book and various movies - and they are about Dinosaur hunting so why wouldn't you be ? - check out this interesting website which details the various versions over the years.

http://silentmoviemonsters.tripod.com/TheLostWorld/

and if you like online books, here is a free e-copy of this classic :
http://www.literature.org/authors/doyle-arthur-conan/lost-world/

Jurassic Yard: An Archeological Dig

You may have seen this around the net before, and I dont know how 'genuine' it is (very un I would suggest).
It may not be VSF, but I think its absolutely brilliant!

PALEOANTHROPOLOGY DIVISION
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE
207 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
WASHINGTON, DC 20078, USA

Dear Sir:

Thank you for your latest submission to the Institute, labeled '211-D, layer seven, next to the clothesline post. Hominid skull’. We have given this specimen a careful and detailed examination, and regret to inform you that we disagree with your theory that it represents ‘conclusive proof of the presence of Early Man in Charleston County two million years ago’.

Rather, if appears that what you have found is the head of a Barbie doll, of the variety one of our staff, who has small children, believes to be the ‘Malibu Barbie’. It is evident that you have given a great deal of thought to the analysis of this specimen, and you may be quite certain that those of us who are familiar with your prior work in the field were loathe to come to contradiction with your findings.

However, we do feel that there are a number of physical attributes of the specimen which might have tipped you off to its modern origin: The material is molded plastic. Ancient hominid remains are typically fossilized bone. The cranial capacity of the specimen is approximately 9 cubic centimeters, well below the threshold of even the earliest identified proto-hominids. The dentition pattern evident on the ‘skull’ is more consistent with the common domesticated dog than it is with the ‘ravenous man-eating Pliocene clams’ you speculate roamed the wetlands during that time. This latter finding is certainly one of the most intriguing hypotheses you have submitted in your history with this institution, but the evidence seems to weigh rather heavily against it. Without going into too much detail, let us say that: A. The specimen looks like the head of a Barbie doll that a dog has chewed on. B. Clams don't have teeth.

It is with feelings ringed with melancholy that we must deny your request to have the specimen carbon dated. This is partially due to the heavy load our lab must bear in its normal operation, and partly due to carbon dating’s notorious inaccuracy in fossils of recent geologic record. To the best of our knowledge, no Barbie dolls were produced prior to 1956 AD, and carbon dating is likely to produce wildly inaccurate results.

Sadly, we must also deny your request that we approach the National Science Foundation’s Phylogeny Department with the concept of assigning your specimen the scientific name ‘Australopithecus spiff-arino’. Speaking personally, I, for one, fought tenaciously for the acceptance of your proposed taxonomy, but was ultimately voted down because the species’s name you selected was hyphenated, and didn’t really sound like it might be Latin. However, we gladly accept your generous donation of this fascinating specimen to the museum.

While it is undoubtedly not a hominid fossil, it is, nonetheless, yet another riveting example of the great body of work you seem to accumulate here so effortlessly. You should know that our Director has reserved a special shelf in his own office for the display of the specimens you have previously submitted to the Institution, and the entire staff speculates daily on what you will happen upon next in your digs at the site you have discovered in your back yard.

We eagerly anticipate your trip to our nation’s capital that you proposed in your last letter, and several of us are pressing the Director to pay for it. We are particularly interested in hearing you expand on your theories surrounding the ‘trans-positating fillifitation of ferrous ions in a structural matrix’ that makes the excellent juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex femur you recently discovered take on the deceptive appearance of a rusty 9-mm Sears Craftsman automotive crescent wrench.

Yours in Science,
Harvey Rowe
Curator, Antiquities

Mechanical Madness!

I've found another new VSF blog this week; "Northwest Historical Miniature Gamer" Kevin has some great pics of a VSF game he ran with his friend Mark called "Mechanical Madness!" as well as a precis The Sword and the Flame on Mars with some nice photos. http://nhmgs.blogspot.com/

Mark also has kindly sent me the variant he has written - its great stuff!
Can't wait to get my 15mm VSF forces together to try them out on the sands of the Red Planet...

Native Venusians sighted!

A Wine Wine Sauce exclusive - direct by aethergram from Venus!

Field researchers from the London Natural History Society have made contact with a native intelligent life form on the planet Venus. In the spirit of international cooperation, the famed naturalist of the Institut de Paris de Biologie, Professor Pierre Aronnax, has been dispatched with all haste to work with the team studying the Venusians.


The Venusians are very large, average 10 feet in height and have 4 arms - each with a hand and opposable digit. They have a rudimentary language and appear to have a rigid family and clan heriachy. They typically operate in groups of 3, though strong individuals may lead multiple groups of 3 warriors. They favour melee weapons though have also developed a primitive type of projectile weapon, of which little is known. One thing we can be certain of though, they would make fearsome opponents!

More pics here:

http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d170/pauljamesog/15mmVSF/

Modelling notes:
Well these guys are the first models Ive painted this year since I moved house., and the start f my 15mm VSF project - Huzzah!

The models are from Peter Pig's "War in the Age of Magic" range as "Large Green Martians" (and they ARE large compared to a 15mm figure. They were painted using GW Goblin Green as the base colour and then 'dipped' using Wattle Satin Woodstain (Walnut).

This is the first time I have used a dip method, which was kindly detailed here last year by Patrick. While I sponged off much of the excess, I think these are a little too heavily stained and next time I will thin down the dip a little as the surface tension kept too much in the crevasses I think. A great effect for the time investment though and certainly they got to table top standard in minimum time. I'll also need to touch up a few highlights again (like the eyes).

Bases are 1/4inch washers with Mulliput. I'll finish off the bases with flock and grass shortly.

Sorry about the dark shadows, I'll take some proper pics once I've done the bases.