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!)

Grey Lady Down: Rescuing the Airship Leland!

Back to Mars today, hosted by club mate Gav and with fellow Space 1889 aficionado Charles. Highly unusually for us, we kept the game size way down at 24 points, and played a modified scenario from the TMWWBK book. 

Using our modified rules tweaks listed here (but forgetting to use the Bolt Action dice drawing technique) I played a French force comprising:

- French Garde Grenadiers (12 man Regular Infantry) with Elite and Fierce (8 points)

- French Foreign Legionnaires (12 man Regular Infantry), with Fierce (7 points)

- 2 Skirmisher Squads (6 man/half strength Regular Infantry) (3 points each)

- Aerial vehicle crew (6 man/half strength Regular Infantry) (3 points)

The Leyand was cleverly constructed from card by Andrew P - all the fittings are magentised

The aerial transport ship Leland had emergency landed on the Xanthe plain while transporting French supplies to Idaeus Fons. The local manager of the owning company, Dubauve and Gallais, had great influence with the local magistrate and was able to solicit military assistance for its recovery. Locally stationed legionaries had linked up with the crew, and now waited for a rescue column to arrive- led by the newly arrived Garde Grenadiers on their first foray out of the city! Against them, 4 mixed Martian companies (*8 units of Cutters and Shooters) advanced, seeking to forcibly salvage the weapons and technology of the Earthmen.

The superior French rifles kept a number of Martian units pinned down and whittling them away slowly.  I managed to get my relief column into range and the volleys crashed out with regularity.

The Martians got some luck when their musketry took down a couple of the Airship's crew, pinning the unit. It failed to rally and the sailors fell back, abandoning the ship and their firing vantage point. The race for the ship was on!

And won by the Garde, who surged forward and began to pour the fire on. The Martians lost momentum and their casualties began to tell, falling backwards and a couple of units dispersing under fire.

The sound of rifle fire died away as the Martians melted back into the hinterland to lick their wounds

I thought I would be overwhelmed quickly, but lacking good leadership the Martians failed many of their activation rolls. In contrast, I didn't fail a single one all game and the Garde never rolled less than 11 !  That made it a rather one sided affair, though the Legionairres almost failed a pin check after taking a single casualty at a critical time and that would have really turned the game around.

Armée d'Mars in all its Glory! (minus the Cavalry WIP on my desk!)

Thanks to Gav and Charles for a fun game and the chance to get our figs out onto the table! Naturally we dreamed big plans for our next armies (my French army is now getting waaaay too big!)

French Land Cruiser unveiled!

Our planned game this week, to debut the French Grenadier Garde I painted earlier this year, unfortunately had to be cancelled when my mate got sick. Instead I invested time into a long stalled project... a French "Land Cruiser"!

Having trialled the design on Earth, the first four production vehicles were deployed to the German border to bolster the defences. Another pair were subsequently deployed to North Africa for expeditionary campaigning, and field tests were conducted in arid conditions.  With those lessons implemented, model Number 7 aka "Sept Chanceux" (Lucky Seven) was assigned to Franciase Corps expéditionnaire du Mars.

This was one of those models that stays in the cupboard for years awaiting the perfect time, and then rushed through the painting process in under 24 hrs.  After all, a model finished to "good enough" standard is far better than "Parade Ready" years too late (or so I have found out, years too late...!)

Fitted with a large calibre, short barrelled naval cannon

This model is a pre-release one that my friend allowed me to have while he implemented some improvements. The body is resin with the legs, weapon and mast are cast metal.  The model came with 6 different weapon options, so they are temporarily mounted depending on the field commander's needs! To add a bit more of the "Battleship on land" feel and add some colour, I made minor modifications to the mast to rig it, and then made some naval signal flags (still no radio in 18989 you know!) 

Overall I am very happy with how it came out - thanks Drew for allowing me to have this model ahead of time (no release date currently)

Painting notes: Black Undercoat

Heavy Drybrush with GW Skavenblight Dinge

Drybrush with Model Colour (vallejo) Light Green Grey 70.971

Pinwash with GW Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade for rust spots

Idaeus Fons Garde deployed!

To start the new year, a battalion of the French Grenadier Garde has been deployed to Idaeus Fons by Ethership! As an elite, well equipped unit it musters 36 Guardsmen and Officers. 

"Mon dieu! Tre magnifique!" say the swooning Mesdemoiselles!

The 36 figs will be deployed in 3 units of 12 men using our Men Who Would Be Kings rules, spending the extra points to make them both Fierce and Well Disciplined.

Allons enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !

They will be based at the main French base at Idaeus Fons, and ensure this seat of power remains secure from all foes: European and Martian alike! There are rumours that this new firepower will be the key to making a bold move to secure another city state and expand French influence in the Xanthe region and the Red Planet more broadly.

Their features are wonderfully sculpted -
doing them some measure of justice was a challenge!

Models are by Great War Miniatures, from their Crimean War range, and distributed via Northstar. Painted in classic triad style - no speed/contrast paints were harmed in the making of this unit. I also discovered a new technique for painting small buttons - a toothpick!

A Brigade Commander's view of their march to Victory!

These are the first Guard figs I've painted for any era - hopefully they pass muster! :-)

Floating Battery arrives!

 

My partner in VSF adventures popped in yesterday to show me the postie delivered...

A beautiful model by Oshiro and crisply cast too. A lovely addition and I'm super envious!

https://www.oshiromodels.co.uk/product-page/vsfv04-turret-carriage

Grenadiers de le Garde ship to Mars!

In a clear demonstration of changed French policy, Ethership troop transports are preparing to reinforce the République's Armée de Mars! An increased military will yield greater security in the Xanthe region and open access to its significant resources. After all, if those degenerate Belgians can hack out the Coprates to the south, France can set a better example of modern Earth culture for the Canal Martians to aspire to!

Crimean War Guarde - my inspiration for this unit, but with Greatcoats

Most telling is the reassignment of units from the Garde Division, led by elements of the Grenadiers. My inspiration were these striking fellows, who look like a walking tricolore!

Franco Prussian War Imperiale Garde, 1870

The Grenadiers will have 2 units of Elite Infantry (12 men each) plus a Command Half squad of 6 men with Colours, Drummer and Officers. To which I will add something else a bit fun to round out the Garde Column.  Here is the initial test model - pics are a little rough but you get the idea.

Figs by Great War Miniatures from their Crimean War range, which I bought via Northstar Miniatures here

Painting notes

• Undercoat: medium grey with white zenethal
• Great coat: Dark Prussian Blue (vallejo 70899) or GW Dark Marine Blue (very old range!), highlighted with Regal Blue (GW)
• Red Trousers, Cuffs and Epaulets: base Wazdakka Red (GW), heavy highlight Evil Sunz Scarlet (GW), top highlight Wild Rider Red (GW)
• Skin: Kislev Flesh, GW Fleshtone Wash
• Bearskin headdress: flat black- drybrush with Cold Grey (Game Colour 72.050)
• Silver: Mithril Silver (GW)
• Gold: Retributor Gold (GW) with Fleshtone Wash
• Backpack: diluted Gore-Grunta Contrast paint
• Blanket Roll: Hoeth Blue

I'll be doing these units as part of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/) so expect to see more of them soon!

The Men Who Would Be Warlords of Mars

Above the Liftwood groves, an Aphid class gunboat flies under French colours as Épée 

A well overdue return to some Space 1889 gaming today, with the specific intent to trying to nail down our rules modifications to The Men Who Would Be Kings. We feel they are..okay...but probably the best fit of anything we've found thus far. Regardless, we got to push some models around and thats always fun!

A French expedition from Ideus Fons defends a central position, with Cloudship Épée in overwatch position

Some rules changes we played with included Bolt Action style of pulling chits, to keep the game fully interactive and generate drama and tension with 'who goes next', which can at times be critical (and was!)

Épée (by Oshiro Models) with a crew of Armoured Sailors (by Ironclad Miniatures)

Additionally, for narrative reasons we played:

- a unit that rolls boxcars on an activation may take an extra action immediately (but must declare both at the start)

- a unit that rolls boxcars on Disciple check a takes an immediate free action (heroic reaction to taking fire!)

Units - we have trialled a few options and recommend Space 1889 units under TMWWBK as:

• European trained Canal Martians as Regular Infantry with Obsolete Rifles
• Canal Martian Shooters as Irregular Infantry
• Can Martian Choppers as Tribal Infantry
• Tharks as Tribal Cavalry

Tharks!!!! (Bronze Age Miniatures)

A unit of Tirailleurs Martiens (RAFM models) prepares to defend their position against advancing Martian Cutters

Canal Martians advance from cover (Bronze Age miniatures)

Give them a taste of St-Etienne steel, mes Amis!

Aerial gunnery takes advancing Martians under fire

New Units:

Shield Gunners as an additions to a Canal Martian Shooter unit. A Shield Gunner takes an additional hit to kill (eg 2 at close range, 3 at long range, 4 at long range and in cover!), and all shield gunners in a unit must be taken down before. A Shooter unit can add 2-3 max at a cost of 1-2 points, adding some much needed resilience against modern European musketry

Cloudship is still in development. We used the Aphid as a Regular Cavalry unit for activation and movement. It carries a half unit (6 men) of riflemen which have to activate separately, and a crewed weapon which also activates separately.  The Cloudship (in this case a poorly armed Scout class type) is operating at low altitude and can be taken under fire by all units as usual. 

Each hit is randomly allocated as:

• 1-2 Crewed Weapon Crew (4 total)
• 3-4 Upper Deck Crew (6 total)
• 5-6 Hull hit (6 total)
• Weapon fire is reduced proportionally with hits. The cloudship crashes if reduced to zero hull points.

Tharks crash into the Legionaries, devastating the unit

Would love to hear other people's experiences and suggestion for TMWWBK, or other rules sets they use for Space 1889 ground actions.

Sergent Pierre Reno, veteran of the Third Thark Suppression Campaign, revenges his comrades upon the last Thark

Cloudships of Mars revisited

After such a hiatus there are TWO posts in a single week? Good grief! Why so? Because this happened...

I also liked their clever plastic altitude bases

Following my trip to the Woking Tripod, I attended the WARFARE show at Farnbrough and had a chance to chat with the chaps from the Werelords club who were running this "Cloudships of Mars revisited" table. 

Yes they are indeed the same chaps who put on the stunning 28mm display back at SALUTE 06 (see herehttp://www.werelords.com/cloudships/main.htm).  Well they are back with a new scale (6mm) and with an all news set of rules they have written, that are faithful to the spirit of the original but updating them and tightening them up for big demo games.

They were super enthusiastic about sharing their game, the moreso when I told them of our own Cloudships agmes and some pics from this blog. I guess its a real niche inside a niche hobby!

The ships themselves are a true delight - each one of the hand crafted and scratch built from all sort of things. It was fun to try and guess,  but the detailing and crew really brought them to life. The flyer at the demo game read:

Building a Cloudship Fleet in 6mm

The Shipds are a wide range of manufacturers: Peter Pig ACW, DeAgostini Star Wars die cast, Heroics and Ross, and Brigade Models.  Weapons include WW1 & WW2 guns, ECW & Napoleonic guns plus gatlings, mitrailleuse and Nordenfelts. Crew range form Colonial & Franco-Prussian, Confederates, SYW Iroquois Indians and Ancient Greeks.

Details was added from Model railways N gauge, supplies for packs of coals sacks anbd sails from plastci ship kits, Mats by Deep cut Studios, and Scenery by Brigade

These pics do something to show what a true delight and labour of love they are.

Look at that liftwood torpedo!

The Majesty of the big Martian Kite under full sail!

Unfortunately I didn't have the time to sit down for a game (though they invited several times!) but it was a real delight to spend some time with these cracking fellows and their creations. 

Thank you gentlemen - I doff my hat to you!