Royal Navy Airship scratch build

Found this fabulous scratchbuild by Mr Edward Garcia on Facebook, from a post some 10 years ago. I wanted to post here for reference (such things tend to disappear and be sadly lost):

Again this is NOT my work, but that of highly talented Edward Garvcia, who writes:

"Scaled at about 1/64 this model of a Mars based British aerial gunboat is based on those mentioned in the old roll playing game Space: 1889. I extrapolated considerably on the small tree view drawings available online at the time (over ten years ago) and created a scale models that fit the story line but also reflected actual elements of Victorian naval architecture. The model measures about 32 inches (81cm) long and is crewed by about 15 hand painted 28mm crewmen. For the most part the model is made from scratch with the main exceptions being small parts such as ship’s guns, fittings and crew figures."

Again, this is not my work, and the original post here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18RhWK1FmB/

This is first of a few "internet rescue" posts. Having gone through a bunch of my VSF links I was sad to see so many sites have dissappeared and their contents gone. I will ensure that such posts are very clearly and appropriately credited, and only done to ensure that great material isn't lost.

Dark Skies

This is clearly a Crimson Skies inspired reboot of WW2 aerial gaming, but I think a few of these craft would make a fantastic  basis for some VSF style platforms.  Have a look at the Kickstarter page to see all the potential offerings.  One hopes that if the project is successful, individual craft might become available in the future.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1768803006/dark-skies-1942-a-15-mm-aerial-wargame

HMLS GLADSTONE

Hot on the heels of the release of the lovely Hansom Tank (see here), Westwind presents the HMLS GLADSTONE. 
A lovely bit of kit to be sure, but one does have to wonder why a Royal Navy landship has a crew in Army uniforms...

Not to be outshone by the Army and its dammed Tankovsky, the Royal Navy commissioned the Jerusalem Iron Works to construct a new class of Ironclad - 'HMLS Gladstone!' It was the first in this new class of Land Battleship. ''We will take the Navy to the enemy wherever he hides, the lack of a sea will not be an obstacle!'' so said First Sea Lord and Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Arthur Hood.

HMLS Gladstone first saw active service in the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. However it did not distinguish itself in combat as it became stuck fast in the Buffalo river close to a small outpost known locally as Rourke's Drift. What became of the crew is unknown!

http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=204_242&products_id=1924

The Queen's (24th) Martian Rifles

Direct from the North Star Military Figures FB page (here), this simply demanded to be reposted! No credit to me at all.
Figs are scheduled to be released soon....

Very reminiscent of this artwork which they posted back in July:

Hansom Tank

Cracking new release from WestWind this month for EotD, perfect for any VSF setting.
Looks just the business for a sojourn on Mars I think!

Jedadiah Tankovsky built the first Hansom tank in 1875. Originally conceived as a mode of transport for important dignitaries and people of well-to-do the Hansom Armored Conveyor was an unarmed two passenger and driver machine, driven by twin three horse power Infernum compression engines built by Harrison & Harrison of 36 Leather Lane Holborn. However Lord Howell of Keffbourne Master of the Queens Armories saw another application for this most wondrous of machines. By the addition of a Gatling gun and a gunners seat he created the worlds first Tankovsky or Tank as the lower classes came to call it. Another excellent model designed by our master model maker Andy Rawling to add to your Empire of the Dead world!

http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=204_242&products_id=1923

War Plan Red: Part 4

The US Plan to defeat Great Britain, based on their assessment of the likely British plan to blockade the Atlantic and invade through New England to threaten the vital industrial heartland of the US (for more detail see here).

Having assessed the likely British plan, US planners broadly concluded that:

• Naval situation in the Atlantic would at best be a standoff with neither side having no significant advantage, OR the British would sabotage the Panama Canal and gain a decisive advantage
• British efforts to lodge an invasion force would likely be staged using Canada as a forward operating base
• British Cruiser and submarine forces operating out of Canada and the Caribbean would be sufficient to blockade the majority of merchant traffic, and
• British threats to the North East of the US would likely be effective before the American industrial and manpower superiority could be mobilised.

Allied convoy assembles in Halifax: Exactly what the US planners wanted to prevent

In consideration of these factors, the US planners concluded that the answer to defeat Great Britain was to immediately go on the offensive and remove the British ability to utilise Canada and other forward operating bases, by seizing “Red bases in the western North Atlantic, the West Indies, and the Caribbean.”  The strategic priority was Halifax, Nova Scotia and its all important naval base which would be critical in supporting a forward deployed Royal Navy operating on the East Coast of the US.  The US estimated it had a maximum of 14 days before the combined RN Home and Mediterranean Fleets would be operating on their doorstep.  Use of this time would be critical.

The US Army had only limited initial resources but those available would strike north rapidly.  Within 3 days of mobilisation, a Corps of 3 Divisions (some 25,000 troops) would muster at Boston.  Depending on the situation, they could move north through Maine using the rail network to enhance their mobility, or proceed north under fleet escort to conduct an amphibious attack on Halifax.  In considering the lessons of WW1, US submarine warfare would also be waged to interdict Canada from British shipping and deny the buildup of the forces required to undertake an invasion of the US and deploy accordingly.

The best defence...

This track would also be supported by spoiling attacks along the eastern boarder.  As troops became available, an advance would be made from upstate New York against Montreal and Quebec while another force would advance to take the hydro-electric plants on the Niagara River.  Other moves would be made to safeguard the Detroit industrial region and capture other key infrastructure such as the Sault St marine canal and its locks.  The occupation of Canadian territory was a priority, weather and logistic wallowing.  Realistically, in these early stage there would be little that Canada could do without British reinforcement, though aggressive aerial attacks were expected with little that could be done to prevent them.

Back at Sea, the short period before the Royal Navy appearing in strength was critical.  The US Atlantic fleet (4 Battleships  plus cruiser support) would be used to strike British possessions.  Initial targets were Jamaica, the Bahamas and Bermuda, to be followed up if possible with attacks on Trinidad, St Lucia and British possessions in the West Indies.  These would reduce the use of these bases to interdict merchant traffic and help safeguard the Panama Canal.  On the great lakes and in the pacific Canadian ports would be blockaded.

With the British ability to invade the East Coast significantly degraded, the US Army would focus on dislocating the Canadian Eats and West coasts to prevent a buildup of Indian or ANZAC troops from the Pacific coast.  Capture of the Winnipeg rail centre, a crucial rail node, was key in this, followed by the occupation of Vancouver and British Columbia.

Overall, the US plan was to strike quickly to remove Canada as a staging point, prevent a British buildup and allow US mobilisation efforts to come to fruition.  As unlikely as the situation was deemed, it was deemed to be a valid strategy.

Should Japan enter the War on the British side, a join War Plan Red-Orange would be activated (War Plan Orange being the contingency plan for war against Japan).  British Naval strength was seen to be the biggest threat and the intent was to prosecute a "Red First" policy, analogously prescient to the 'Europe First' policy of WW2.

One point to consider - War Plan Red was developed in 1927 after the Geneva Naval Conference of that year, and was approved in 1930.  Transplant this scenario to a VSF setting and a few different aspects come into play.  The demilitarisation of the US-Canadian boarder, key to the US twentieth century plan, started in the late 1870s.  Residual infrastructure could still be present  and even be reactivated in a period of tension.  Use of such facilities for aeronef raids into the US might degrade or delay the initial thrust into Halifax.  Alternatively, an RN aquanef blockade could be established off the East Coast prior to hostilities, nullifying the initial US freedom of acton.  Lots of possibilities.

Alternatively, if it appeals to you as is then there is a board game from Avalanche Press you may wish to investigate (thanks Michael P, for the information).

War Plan Red: Part 3

The British Plan
...or at least, the US planners' assessment of the likely British plan...

The War in the Atlantic
This was assessed to be the dominant, but not only, theatre of maritime operations.  The RN would initially seize control of the North Atlantic by combining their Home and Mediterranean Fleets and operating from a forward base at Bermuda.  British cruiser and submarine forces would try to cut US Atlantic lines of communications from bases in Halifax and Jamaica.  The Royal Navy would blockade the East Coast of the US, disrupt commerce, harass coastal areas with bombardment, and conduct Air and Amphibious raids to further degrade the economy and, ultimately, popular will of the US people for the war.

The British would expect the US to immediately redeploy the bulk of their Pacific Feet to the Atlantic via the Panama canal, and generate a Fleet in being with which to contest this blockade.  If this was achieved, no decisive engagement would be sought initially as both sides were well balanced and the result could go either way.

Accordingly, the US Navy would remain in a defensive posture concentrated in the Western North Atlantic, threaten British lines of communication, wear down Royal Naval strength and await  favourable opportunity for Fleet Action.  Of course, if the Panama Canal could be disrupted or sabotaged, this would be a different story...

Panama Cana - a vital Strategic link

The War in the Pacific
The British Asiatic Fleet would be concentrated at Singapore with only light, inshore forces remaining at Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.  Indian troops would muster and link up wight he Fleet before for assaulting the Philippines to neutralise the US naval facilities holdings in Manilla.   This would safeguard threats to British trade and commercial interests and subsequently, the Asiatic Fleet would be utilised to destroy any residual US Naval island holdings throughout the Pacific.

With the bulk of Empire assets investing the US East Coast, Hawaii was expected to remain a safe bastion and while it might be attacked to disrupt and commerce raiders operating from there, no invasion or landing was expected.

Alaska was expected to be raided from Canada, but only lightly and this was seen as acceptable.

Landings by ANZAC and Indian troops on the West Coast of the US where seen as acceptable risks

The Land War
The pivotal US territory was seen to be the industrial North East region of continental US.  Possible landings by ANZAC and Indian focus on the West Coast or striking south from Canada could and would be tolerated in order to maintain a strong defensive perimeter to safeguard the industrial heartland of the USA.

Should the Royal Navy manage to defeat the US Atlantic Fleet and establish sea control (either though battle or should the Panama Canal be disputed and the Pacific Fleet trapped) it was expected that invasion would come via sea with amphibious landings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  These forces would then strike westward through Connecticut, disrupt the region generally and threaten New York.  This would greatly shorten the period of conflict and try to overcome the US mobilisation effort while also degrading industrial capacity.

War planners concluded that the British Empire could achieve this outcome, the US choice would be reduced to what kind of terms to ask for in their surrender...

War Plan Red: Part 2

Having discovered the 1920/30s era US Military plans to engage in hostilities with the British Empire (here), I had to delve deeper.  Admittedly, neither side considered such a war remotely probable, but it was certainly not impossible should issues regarding international trade route and overseas territories come to a head.

Archives were searched, journals read and the odd book discovered.  For the discerning strategist, the following detail is provided.  Note that the UK never committed such plan to paper, but some good guesswork assessed their likely operations.

Pre Conflict Comparison

The Royal Navy had slightly more naval power, with the main battle line spread between the Home Fleet and the Mediterranean.  It would be able to rapidly concentrate and venture across the Atlantic to have significant presence at Nova Scotia within 13 days.  In comparison, the bulk of the US Navy battlewagons were in the Pacific and the timely use of the Panama Canal was critical in being able to face off against the British fleet in the Atlantic.

                               Royal Navy         US Navy
       Battleships             16                     18 (12 in the Pacific)
       Battlecruisers         4                       0
       Aircraft Carriers     6                      3 (larger capacity than RN equivalents, all in the Pacific)
       Cruisers                  62                    18
       Destroyers              175                  221
       Submarines             57                    68

Air Force strength was significantly in favour of the British, though redeploying it to Canada would take significant sea lift capacity.  The British could muster such lift capacity but it would have to be balanced with other priorities, such as ground forces.

                                      RAF              US
Fighter Squadrons           12                3 Pursuit, 2 Attack
Observer Squadrons         5                 9
Bomber Squadrons          11                2

Manpower wise, the British Army could rapidly mobilise more soldiers from across their dominions than the US, but the US could build a greater land force over time.

                                               British Empire

       Regular Forces       100,000 man Expeditionary Force (4 Divisions, 2 Cavalry Brigades)
                                      Deployable to Nova Scotia within 30 days

       Overseas Forces     Canada: 52,000 (increasing to 120,000 in 11 Divisions in 30 Days)
                                      India and ANZAC forces: 13 Divisions available at short notice

       Territorial Army     13 Divisions available within 6 months

                                                US 

       Regular Forces       100,000 men at home,
                                       9 Divisions

       Overseas Forces     40,000 in Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico and Hawaii

       National Guard       175, 000 (60 days to mobilise)
                                       18 Divisions (understrength), 9 Cavalry Brigades


More to Follow...

War Plan Red

In doing some research into the US War Plan Orange this week, I stumbled across some other interesting plans developed in the aftermath of WW1, mostly to exercise War Planning and Strategic staffs learning, but also useful as the basis for contingencies.

Of striking interest to me was the US War Plan Red, which was to fight a war against England, and potentially Japan also as per the provisions of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.  War Plan Red had a number of subset plans, notably War Plan Scarlet against Australian, New Zealand and Commonwealth interests in the Pacific, and War Plan Crimson against Canada.  Interestingly, War Plan Red had the US assume a strategically defensive posture against what they saw would be a mostly Atlantic affair and prepare for a landing of British Troops on the east coast of the Continental USA.  At the same time, the planner saw that a invasion of British interests in Canada and the Caribbean would be the best way to reduce British interests on the continent.

All very interesting, particularly when one then lays on top of that the Canadian Defence Scheme Number 1 which was for a counter invasion of the US to stall for time and allow British support to cross the Atlantic.  The Canadian plan saw flying columns seizing territory along the Pacific and Atlantic US coasts.  An audacious plan indeed but one that was seen as sufficiently desperate it might just succeed if the dice rolled correctly.

And so were laid the plans of what might have been, but more interesting is to consider them being executed in the 1890s...with a few VSF elements thrown in...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Plan_Red
http://tarpley.net/online-books/against-oligarchy/britains-pacific-war-against-the-united-states-in-the-age-of-the-anglo-american-special-relationship/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Scheme_No._1
http://www.glasnost.de/hist/usa/1935invasion.html

HM Airship 'Fearnought'

Lovely jubbly!
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234912362-edwardian-steam-airbattleship-hms-fearnaught/page-4

The Photojournal of Surgeon Parks, RN

The Imperial War Museum now has wonderful online photos attributed to renowned Surgeon Oscar Parks taken during WW1.  
He was a RN medical officer who became the editor of Jane's Fighting ships in the 20 and 30s).  These are just a few of my favourites.
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?filter%5BmakerString%5D%5B0%5D=%22Surgeon%20Oscar%20Parkes%22&query=

HMS Abercrombie

HMS Bellerophon, 1918

HMS Canada

HMS Emperor of India, 1915

HMS Emperor of India

HMS Erin 1915

Forth Bridge, 1918

HMS Hercules

HMS Invincible, in the Falklnd Islands

HMS Iron Duke, 1917

HMS Lion, 1915

Mutton Chop Miniatures

Lord Cirenchester

Paul Hicks has opened his own miniature company called Mutton Chop Miniatures.

From their announcement:

Mutton Chop Miniatures is the sculpting ramblings of Paul Hicks. It is a collection inspired by the spirit of the 1930s and Heath Robinson styled contraptions. You won’t find any large ranges of historical themed armies here. You will find figures that are full of character and great for skirmishing or adding flavour to a themed army.

Thanks for looking
Mutton Chop Miniatures
http://muttonchop.co.uk/

 

WW1 Described In Terms As A Bar Fight

Sent to MAC by Mal Wright and as he said quite a good laugh.

Germany, Austria and Italy are standing together in the middle of
the bar-room, when Serbia bumps into Austria, and spills Austria's
pint.Austria demands Serbia buy it a complete new suit, because
there are splashes on its trouser leg. Germany expresses its
support for Austria's point of view.Britain recommends that
everyone calm down a bit.Serbia points out that it can't afford a
whole suit, but offers to pay for cleaning Austria's trousers.Russia
and Serbia look at Austria. Austria asks Serbia who it's looking at.
Russia suggests that Austria should leave its little brother alone.
Austria inquires as to whose army will assist Russia in compelling
it to do so.Germany appeals to Britain that France has been
looking at it, and that this is sufficiently out of order that Britain
should not intervene.Britain replies that France can look at who it
wants to, that Britain is looking at Germany too, and what is
Germany going to do about it? Germany tells Russia to stop
looking at Austria, or Germany will render Russia incapable of
such action.Britain and France ask Germany whether it's looking
at Belgium. Turkey and Germany go off into a corner and whisper.
When they come back,Turkey makes a show of not looking at
anyone.Germany rolls up its sleeves, looks at France, and
punches Belgium.France and Britain punch Germany. Austria
punches Russia.Germany punches Britain and France with one
hand and Russia with the other. Russia throws a punch at
Germany, but misses and nearly falls over. Japan calls over from
the other side of the room that it's on Britain's side, but stays there.
Italy surprises everyone by punching Austria.Australia punches
Turkey,and gets punched back. There are no hard feelings,
because Britain made Australia do it.France gets thrown through
a plate glass window,but gets back up and carries on fighting.
Russia gets thrown through another one, gets knocked out, suffers
brain damage, and wakes up with a complete personality change.
Italy throws a punch at Austria and misses, but Austria falls over
anyway.Italy raises both fists in the air and runs round the room
chanting.America waits till Germany is about to fall over, then walks
over,waves a fist at Germany while Britain knocks it out, then
pretends it won the fight all by itself. By now all the chairs are
broken, and the big mirror over the bar is shattered.Britain, France
and America agree that Germany threw the first punch,so the
whole thing is Germany's fault.While Germany is still unconscious,
they go through its pockets,steal its wallet, and buy drinks for all
their friends.

Nobody comes out of it looking particularly good.

Cerberus in 1/1200

Inspired by my research into the real ship, I broke out my long neglected 1/1200 scale Cerberus by Brigade Models, and a lovely casting it is too.


The model comes in 5 separate parts: hull, 2 main turrets, breastwork superstructure and mast. All part were very crisply cast with no flash at all. All fit together nicely with no filler required. One particularly good feature is that the breastwork structure fits over the turrets, which in tun have a peg and hole fitting. This means that they the turrets can be painted and fitted without gluing, so they can rotate freely.


I painted the model prior to assembly, undercoating in white. I went for a traditional RN paint scheme, and as accurate to the real ship as possible. The hull was therefore black, the armour, superstructrue and deck fittings white, gun muzzles dark grey, mast and funnel ocre and the deck a faded wood colour. Finally, I added a RN White Ensign to the masthead (again by Brigade) and fitted her to a base in the style of Mssr Ogrefencer (name and flag yet to be fitted). A smallish wake befits a vessel of 10kts max speed - no big bow waves for Cerberus! Then again, nobody should ever rush a lady...

This model represents Cerberus as she appeared in the late 1880s, after her mast reconfiguration (in 1878) and the addition of the torpedo spars and nets (in 1887). I must admit that as a result of my research this became more of a modelling project than a wargaming one, but the overall effect is quite realistic I think and I'm looking forward to her first tabletop battle.

Ironic then that my first Aquanef fleet unit is a surface unit! There are also 4 Russian units about half done and I just found some Navwar 1/1200 ACW ships (again courtesy of Mssr Ogrefencer, thank you Sir!) which will be joining us soon...

More Brits

Here are some closeups of Nuno's British Nefs, which I showcased here last week.

He informs me that his painting technique was:
- white undercoat which was left showing in the sides of the superstructures and the masts as well as the tail of the nefs
- GW chaos black hull side
- GW Sepia wash on the decking
- GW foundation astronomican grey in the turrets
- GW foundation adeptus battlegrey in the cannons and the center of the large turrets
- GW foundation tausept ochre on the chimneys

I've updated the entry on his Greman nefs to detail the paint scheme too.

Thanks for sharing mate, I thin they've come out beautifully. Well done old Boy!

New Brits and Germans

Nuno (aka Rastamann from the TacCom boards) has finished up his British and German starter sets and they have come out beautifully!

Well done Old boy! They look great and I love the thematic presentation style you've adopted. Great stuff!

Marx Industries, Part II

More Land Ironclads by Marx Industries!

HLMS Klompton (LandRamship)

HMLS Kelso and Nelson

The highly inventive "Das Foot-Boot" from Germany!

Marx Industries Unveiled

Mssr Marx from the Lead Adventure Forum has unveiled an unparalleled level of productivity on the Land Ironclads model fFront. We are privileged to have been granted permission to post pics of them here!

First up, the rather inspired HMLS Implausible:

for which Mssr Marx gladly credits his inspiration as this pic:

More to follow soon!