More pics to follow...
Whats the humdrum about Chaps? Adventures into Victorian Science Fiction and Steampunk with ramblings about Aeronefs, Dirigibles, Land Ironclads, Anarchists, Dinosaur Hunting, Terranefs, Aquanefs, Mad Scientists, and all manner of electric contraptions and steam conveyances. It may not make sense, but there will be claret and a nice cheese board at the end. Tally-Ho and "Vôtre dans une sauce au vin blanc!"
Thursday 31 January 2008
Ogrefencer's VSF Madness, Part 1
More pics to follow...
More Blackhawks Down!
Wednesday 30 January 2008
Karsten's Aeronef Fleet
As promised on the weekend, he has sent me some pics of his German Aeronef fleet (figs by Brigade) click for larger images
Tuesday 29 January 2008
International Conference scheduled
Indications are that these discussions will be followed in quick succession by the inaugural inter-Regimental drinking competition with the winner awarded large estates in Africa and a gunboat flotilla armed with Nordendfelts and crewed by local lovlies- it should be a cracking good time!
The Officers of the 3rd Saxon-Wantabees Dragoons Regiment are anticipated to come dead last in the forthcoming Guiness boat-races competition and be forced to endure the humilating de-bagging ceremony in the Mess
No doubt the envoys will also discuss matters of little lead men and exchanges of goodies will be done - Who know what else else can happen when Tas finally makes the personal acquaintance of Ogrefencer!
Monday 28 January 2008
CANCON 2008
1. Jan 26 is Australia Day, our National Birthday and great cause for BBQ, Beers and celebration; and
2. This weekend was the premier Australian Wargaming convention, CANCON, organised by the Canberra Games Society and held just a few Kms from my house http://users.tpg.com.au/adsl7cnm/Flyer.pdf
Long time subscribers may recall that I went last year and had a ball with the kids http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/2007/01/cancon-splendid-day-out.html). I was just reading that post and saw my comments "Sadly my mate Owen, who had planned to come up for the weekend and the Con, had to cancel at the last minute. There is always next year though right?". Well this indeed this year was the year and he did made it up for a cracking great time.
There wasnt much in the way of VSF, though I did spy a nice Boxer Rebellion style game. Owen and I played in a great demo scenario of Mogadishu in 1994, as famously portrayed in the movie "Blackhawk Down!". The terrain, figs and vehicles were fantastic, and the rules were fast and quick playing. We did even worse than the movie writers thought the Americans did and had a ball doing it. And yes, more than one Blackhawk crashed, as unlikely as the odds were for that!
Over the weekend I also met up with friends old and new, including Nic of Eureka Miniatures (http://www.eurekamin.com.au/), Mike of Battlefield Accessories (http://members.optusnet.com.au/carolynparker/mmmain.htm), Mick from Mick's Metal Models (http://www.micksmetalmodels.com/), who among other ranges is the Australian distributor for Peter Pig, and Greg of Cannon Fodder miniatures (http://www.canfodmins.com/) who made all the Somali gunmen for the demogame (and they were good shots too!). Needless to say, money was spent and goodies were brought home...
I also was reacquainted with Karsten whom I met last year and who has promised me pics of his and his mates' newly finished Aeronef fleets!
So a great weekend of gaming, gaming shopping and seeing my mate - thanks for coming up buddy!
Saturday 26 January 2008
Cheapsiders...
For smoke stacks and piping, consider black drinking straws. They come in three basic sizes — sipping, standard, and jumbo. The precise diameter of the latter depends largely on the manufacturer.
Sipping:
http://shop.newyorkbarstore.com/Items/pty-01-stir-black-2000?
2000 for $6.95.
Standard:
http://shop.newyorkbarstore.com/Items/PTY-04-STRAW-BLACK-700?
700 for $6.95 US.
Super, Jumbo, Mega...
http://www.westernplastics.net/index.php
And, while on the subject of "drinking accessories," prehistoric terrain can be supplemented with palm tree stirrers.
http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?productid=20830&cat=314&page=1
Pillars in temples and government buildings can be represented by wedding cake decorations. The resin bits that some companies offer are more or less the same design but usually quite a bit more expensive.
http://www.bakedeco.com/dept.asp?id=242
I have long thought that land mines can easily be simulated by spent hearing aid batteries. Of course, unless you have a device that uses them, collecting a good number of them may require a bit of resourceful thinking.
Simiarly, the flint wheel in disposable lighters is — in essence — a gear. Both the battery and gear can also be used to add detail to vehicles and robots.
And this last idea isn't mine (and, to be honest, I forget to whom it belongs) — but I have heard of someone using dried fruit and beans to add "nodules" and mounts to spacecraft models.
Wednesday 23 January 2008
Scratchbuilt Aeronef Fleet
Actually, now I think of it they remind me a lot of GZG's New Swabian League ships from their Full Thrust Sci-Fi range.
Great job Eli!
http://leadpeople.blogspot.com/2007/12/fleets-gather.html
Tuesday 22 January 2008
Paul's Aeronef Page
Sunday 20 January 2008
20,000 hits!
I'm still rather stunned at the amount of traffic flowing through here and I'll take it as a sign that the team here are doing a good job - Huzzah and Thanks to All!
Tooth and Claw scenario
For all potential Tooth and Claw gamers...The latest edition of WI has a scenario for Toth and Claw by Chris Peers titled "Into The Jaws of Death":
http://wargamesillustrated.net/shop.asp?sid=0&ssid=0&cid=0&id=428
I haven't had a chance to read through it yet but it looks pretty good, being designed as an introductory game for several players. I'll post a review once I've had a chance to read the scenario through properly.
Thanks Jim!
Thursday 17 January 2008
Garnet Joseph Wolseley
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Victorian Era Naval Reference
http://www.pdavis.nl/Background.htm#BIO
Monday 14 January 2008
20,000 Leagues under the Sea
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8365304564615414619
The Lost World
1 hr and 8 min of nostalgic fun:
Explorer Professor Challenger is taking quite a beating in the London press thanks to his claim that living dinosaurs exist in the far reaches of the Amazon. Newspaper reporter Edward Malone learns that this claim originates from a diary given to him by fellow explorer Maple White's daughter, Paula. Malone's paper funds an expedition to rescue Maple White, who has been marooned at the top of a high plateau. Joined by renowned hunter John Roxton, and others, the group goes to South America, where they do indeed find a plateau inhabited by pre-historic creatures, one of which they even manage to bring back to London with them.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8853771651097696497
Saturday 12 January 2008
Vice Admiral Sir Nathan Hewett
Vice-Admiral Sir William Nathan Wrighte Hewett VC KCB KCSI
b.1834, entered RN 1848, d. 1888
Aged 20 and but 8 years after entering the Royal Navy, William Hewett was awarded the Victoria Cross for services during the Crimea War.
In 1854, he was serving as Acting Mate on HMS Beagle but was commanding a Naval Brigade detachment manning a Lancaster Battery at Sebastopol. being threatened by the enemy. Through a misunderstanding he was ordered to spike his gun and retreat. The lieutenant, however, took on himself the responsibility of disregarding the order, shouting 'Retire? Retire and be damned! Fire!' He then pulled down the parapet of the battery and with the assistance of some soldiers, slewed his gun round and poured on the advancing enemy a most destructive and effectual fire until the Russians retreated. For this exploit and for further great bravery during the battle of Inkerman, that he received the Victoria Cross.
A slightly different account of his actions:
Among all the acts exhibiting gallantry, coolness, and judgment, one performed by Mr N.W. Hewett, then acting mate of HMS Beagle, stands conspicuous.
On the 26th of October 1854, the day after the battle of Balaclava, he was in charge of the right Lancaster battery before Sebastopol, with a party of bluejackets under him, when the Russians made a desperate sortie from the walls against Sir De Lacy Evans’ division. The advance of the Russians placed the gun in great jeopardy; and their assault was so vigorous that their skirmishers had got within 300 yards of the battery, and were pouring in a sharp fire from their Minié rifles. By some misapprehension the word was passed to spike the gun and retreat; but Mr Hewett, taking upon himself to disregard what he heard, answered, “That order did not come from Captain Lushington, and till he directs us to desert the gun, we’ll not move.” This proceeding was hazardous, for at the time the gun was in an ineffectual position, in consequence of the enemy advancing on its flank. With the assistance, however, of the seamen with him, and of some soldiers who came to his aid, he got round the gun into position; then, blowing away the parapet of the battery, he opened on the advancing column of the Russians so effective a fire, that they were completely staggered, and their progress was stopped. Seconded by his companions, whom his spirit animated, again and again he discharged his death-dealing gun, till the enemy gave way and retreated.
A story is current that he actually did receive an order to abandon the gun, and that afterwards, while he was reflecting what might be the consequences of having disobeyed it, his commanding officer inquired,
“Mr Hewett, were you not ordered to spike that gun and retreat?”
“I was, sir.”
“And you chose to disregard the order, and fight the gun?”
“I did, sir; but I am sorry if—”
“Well, then, you are promoted.”
Sir Stephen Lushington brought Mr Hewett’s conduct before the commander-in-chief, and he received from the Admiralty, as a reward, his lieutenancy, which he so well merited. At the battle of Inkermann his bravery was again conspicuous, and he was soon afterwards appointed to the command of the Beagle gunboat in the Sea of Azov.
He was promoted to Commander on 13th Sep 1858, Captain on 14th Nov 1862 and Rear-Admiral on 14th Nov 1862, spending much of his career at sea commanding a number of RN vessels, including some of the first ironclad warships. He also commanded the Naval Brigade in actions in West Africa, Egypt and the Sudan, gaining in the process a reputation as the Navy's finest exponent of Combined Operations.
Sir William Hewett rose to the rank of Vice Admiral in 1884 before retiring from the Navy in 1888 and died the same year.
Vice-Admiral Hewett was awarded the following medals:
Victoria Cross
Knight Commander of the Bath
Crimean War Medal
Turkish Crimean Medal
Crimean Medal 'Al Valore'
India General Service Medal
Ashanti Medal 1873–74
Egypt Medal 1882
Khedive Star 1882
Order of Mejidieh 4th
Class Legion of Honour 5th Class
Friday 11 January 2008
Nile Gunboats
Thursday 10 January 2008
Admiral Sir Walter Cowan
Early years - served in verious expeditions in West Africa, commanded the gunboat HMS SULTAN during the Battle of Omdurman and the whole gunboat squadron during the Fashoda Incident with the French during which he was awarded the DSO. Cowan then went south to participate in the Second Boer War, saw extensive sea service as a Destroyer Captain afterwards and then service the the Battlecruiser force during WW1 (including the Battle of Jutland where his ship was heavily damaged) during which he was known to be one of "the most offensively minded of the Grand-Fleet officers."
"Walter Cowan, Captain of the [Lion class battlecruiser] Princess Royal, had been a close friend of [Admiral] Beatty's from both midshipman and Nile-gunboat days. He was a ferocious midget who loved war so much that he spent his leave periods in the trenches in France and wept when the Armistice was announced. "
It was also said that he "was the only Officer in the Grand Fleet that was sorry the war was over"
Gordon continues: "He became the scourge of the Bolsheviks in the Baltic in 1919 [As a Rear-Admiral he commanded a Light Cruiser Squadron from his flagship Delhi and sank 2 Russian Battleships and 1 destroyer], and ended his naval career as Admiral of the Fleet.[not quite true, but he was a full Admiral]"
Cowan came out of retirement in 1940, accepting demotion to the rank of Commander, to join an Indian armoured regiment in North Africa. He was captured by the Italians when he personally attacked a tank by himself armed with only a revolver! Subsequently released by the Italians on humanitarian grounds he joined the Commandos as a Naval liasion officer, aged 72. He saw further action in clandestine actions in Italy and the Med from 1943 where he won a second DSO in 1944 (more than 40 years after earning his first one) before retiring once more.
There are 2 books dedicaed to his service which would be fascinating reading:
- Lionel George Dawson, Sound of the guns, being an account of the wars and service of Admiral Sir Walter Cowan (Pen-in-hand, Oxford, 1949);
- Geoffrey Bennett, Cowan's war: the story of British naval operations in the Baltic, 1918-1920 (Collins, London, 1964) - reprinted in 2002 as "Freeing the Baltic" (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freeing-Baltic-Geoffrey-Bennett/dp/184341001X)
His Service biography is:
Wednesday 9 January 2008
King Solomon's Mines
Published 1885
Wikipedia reports that "The book was first published in September 1885 amid considerable fanfare, with billboards and posters around London announcing "The Most Amazing Book Ever Written". It became an immediate best seller. By the late 19th century explorers were uncovering lost civilizations around the world, such as Egypt's Valley of the Kings, and the empire of Assyria. Africa remained largely unexplored and King Solomon's Mines, the first novel of African adventure published in English, captured the public's imagination."
It was also the best selling book of 1885 and is arguably the first of the "Lost World" genre of fiction. I love the book's dedication, which reads:
This faithful but unpretending recordof a remarkable adventureis hereby respectfully dedicatedby the narrator,ALLAN QUATERMAIN,to all the big and little boys who read it.
And of course any novel with a Naval Officer named "Captain Good" cant be bad at all!
http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/H/HaggardRider/prose/kingsolomonmines/index.html
Aeronef terrain on the cheap
They are technically Monopoly™ houses and hotels, but with the right paint job, I suspect they'd make good ground targets and table decoration.
Tuesday 8 January 2008
Electric Blockhaus
Its always reminded me of a mobile steampunk version of the Rebel batteries on Hoth, in "The Empire Strikes Back". Mssr V scratchbuilt this little beauty about 2 years ago from gosh-knows-what components...
Boys Own Adventure!
Monday 7 January 2008
It wasnt like this in the Sudan you know...
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!
Saturday 5 January 2008
Sad Loss Of Inspiration
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
Friday 4 January 2008
Gaming Resources
Thursday 3 January 2008
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!
Wednesday 2 January 2008
The Junior General
CRYPTO-CRITTERS Anthology Series
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