8th Blog Birthday!

Well Huzzah and Hoorah, Yours in a White Wine Sauce is 8 years old today!
Break out the brandy and cigars Gentlemen!

All Quiet on the Martian Front Playtest

Miles has posted some great pics and thoughts on a recent test game he played of this game.  I managed to resist the Kickstarter because nobody else around me was interested and its in a scale I don't usually use.  I'm now starting to really regret that decision.
http://lairoftheubergeek.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/all-quiet-on-martian-front-playtest.html

Hearts of Oak - Part 3

This is the land ship HMS FEARNOUGHT.  It is a small, three wheeled steam contraption which can be landed to support Royal Navy's Armoured Landing parties ashore.

It has variable armament with either a water cooled machine gun or, as shown here, a light field gun which increases the weight of the vehicle overall. 

The model is by Ironclad Miniatures with a resin hull and turret, and white metal cast wheels and gun.
I have remodelled the back end with a stratch built funnel and support struts.

Usuthu!!!!

Learned gentlemen and long time readers of this humble blog will know that today is the anniversary of the Zulu War Battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift in 1879 (see here).  But today is extra special as it is also the 50th Anniversary of the classic movie of the latter battle, Zulu.

Stop whatever you are doing, pour yourself youself a generous Gin and Tonic, and watch the movie to celebrate.  I am!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2532420/A-salute-Zulu-A-spell-binding-story-raw-courage-NO-gore-NO-political-correctness-NO-swaggering-Yanks-great-British-war-film-50th-anniversary.html

Brigade Models New Year Sale

Instead of a Christmas Sale, those dapper chaps at Brigade Models are having a Happy New Year Sale! 15% off until 31 Jan- enjoy!

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Ranges.html

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your families a wonderful festive season!

Nemo's War News

This week I was excited to receive Victory Point Games's newsletter "Crimson Courier", which amongst other gems announced that a second edition of Nemo's War is being developed for release in 2014.

The first edition and its expansion are great fun indeed, so a second edition with new artwork will be fantastic.  I'm looking forward to seeing what new adventures and nuances are introduced to the game.

If you haven't heard of it check out this video review then go buy it from the great guys at VPG here:

https://victorypointgames.com/details.php?prodId=94

Hearts of Oak - Part 2

This is the first batch of troops for my Royal Navy Armoured Landing Party (also known throughout the fleet as "Ironclads").  He we see a 10 man party led by a Lieutenant and supported by a Chief Petty Officer.  They have 4 ratings armed with rifles for support, and four sailors with cutlass and pistol for messier close in work.  Figs are by Ironclad Miniatures - find them here

Now to work on their support conveyances!

Aussies take the Ashes

Those chipper lads from the Antipodes have hit the Mother country for a 6, taking out the current Ashes series in strait matches.
Champion effort gentlemen - a well earned libation or two this evening no doubt!

In the shade of the Ishtar Trees

...A Tale of the First Venus War

A fan of this humble blog, J.P. emailed me a week or two ago and asked if I would be interested in reading some VSF fiction he wrote this year.  Does a stout chap shout hurrah and dash toward the enemy with sword drawn and a cry for Queen and Country on his Lips?  Good show indeed!  And so here are my thoughts on his short (30 pages or so) VSF novella, In the Shade of the Ishtar Trees.

I enjoyed this short tale of VSF derring-do, which is set in the rarely trodden jungles of Venus.  It is a fast paced "column against the horde" scenario which reminded me of the Zulu war, but with a US Colonial slant to it.  The "young officer loyally supported by the veteran NCO" formula works nicely in the short format where there isn't the room for very detailed character development.  I quite liked the opening scenes as the column moves into a foreboding position and you don't know what's coming next, but guess it wont be good...

An action packed and fun tale filled with pluck, adventure and cold steel which I recommend to any VSF fan.  I'm looking forward to reading more of J.P.'s work.

PS J.P. tells me this book will be free on Amazon from December 25 through the 29th

http://www.jpmedved.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18245767-in-the-shade-of-the-ishtar-trees 

Hearts of Oak

After considering the Company construction rules for some time and letting my imagination wander free, I decided to build a list for a Royal Naval Landing Party.  Stout chaps who dash ashore for Queen and Country!

I have acquired the figs for this list and will be painting them up for the forthcoming Hobby Painting Challenge, so pics yet to come.  In the meantime I would really appreciate some feedback on this list. You can find it at the link here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/827ca189b4v57bl/Hearts%20of%20Oak.pdf

EDIT: You can see the completed figs here:
http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/hearts-of-oak-part-2.html

Surrounded by Heroes, Villains and Fiends

The new supplement for IHMN has arrived in the Man Cave and is now being eagerly devoured -Huzzah!

 It is 1895 and the future depends not upon the actions of governments but upon those of the Adventuring Companies, and will be shaped by countless engagements in city streets, ancient ruins, dense jungles, high mountains and boundless deserts. In America, good men fight to preserve their hard-won liberty and the great drive west is stalled by Native American mystics and powerful outlaw gangs. In Africa, native forces fight to push back the Pax Britannica – no longer is a Lee-Metford rifle and a disciplined resolve enough to put the foe to flight. In Europe, darkness gathers around the Austro-Hungarian court and the Great Powers watch warily, knowing its fall could precipitate a war to end all wars. Heroes, Villains and Fiends presents new Companies, from the rebellious Zulu and Apache to the spies of the Okhrana and Secret Service, and the mysterious forces of such groups as the Knights Templar and the sinister Hellfire Club. With equipment, Talents and Mystical Powers, additional scenarios and a sample campaign, Heroes, Villains and Fiends opens up new possibilities for In Her Majesty’s Name.

Northstar will be producing at least one new boxed set of minis to go along with the new book, and Osprey has also announced a second supplement is now in development. This time the focus will be in Asia and the Far East!

IHMN Review

With the Heroes, Villains and Fiends expansion released today (and my copy en route) I thought it timely to share my thoughts on the core IHMN book and rules system.    Note that I have yet to play a game against a live opponent so this is more a list of thoughts vice a proper review.

Bottom line up front: I like this game.  The 64 glossy page book flows well, is easily understandable and the full colour layout with lots of pics is lovely.

With only four stats per model (Pluck, Shooting Value, Fighting Value and Speed) it is not a complicated game - the strength of the game is in its flavour and theme.  Firing is a d10 roll, adding the figure's Shooting Value and any weapon bonuses vs the armour value of the target (7 being an unarmoured target in civilian clothing).  If hit the target rolls a save using its Pluck value or is removed.  Melee is effectively the same except using the Fighting Value.  Figures can 'mob up' to increase the overall power of a shooting or melee attack, which means that a large group of cannon fodder can be dangerous to any character, no-matter how skilled or well armed/armoured they might be.

Turn sequence is not IGO-UGO, rather each player activates one figure in turn.  I think I would prefer a more random system so you never know who will be activating a figure next, similar to Bolt Action or The Sword and the Flame.  I'll definitely give that type of system a try.

There are a range of Talents which gives skills to your figures, and there is a list of Mystical Powers which special characters can use on themselves or others, depending on what it is.  Unlike some systems these don't seem overpowering, those I have yet to see many of them in action yet.  Weird Science apparatus lend steampunky options to your troops - and this is another area ripe for further expansion in the future.

Finally, the book contains 10 scenarios and 10 Landscapes, which detail terrain set-up, hazards and benefits.  Very basic campaign rules are included for character progression.

A highlight of the rules is that they give you everything you need to build your own forces and characters from the ground up.  The ten diverse Companies provided in the book are an excellent starting point, backed up by some beautiful minis by North Star for six of them.  But if you want to build your own force from the ground up, everything is here for you to do that.  Want an Eastern European Anarchist group? that's no problem.  Want to field a steam walker or vehicle?  The rules are there.  One of those new fangled flying contraptions? Sure thing.  Vehicle construction rules aren't it there - I'm sure that will come with more time, but there are enough basic models in there to keep you sufficiently amused in the meantime and its an infantry based game in any event. 

My chaps from Scotland Yard: 3 more companies are under construction!

Curiously, are no Victorian Horror elements in IHMN which seems a strange omission for the VSF genre.  Possibly, this was in trying to avoid an overlap with West Wind's Empire of the Dead, but such creatures would be straightforward to include using some special mystical powers and unique talents, so if this is your bag you don't have to go without your Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies and Ghouls.  Similarly, this approach would let you transform this system for Lovecraftian Horror gaming with few issues.

Using the errata is key due to some errors in the initial calculation for machine guns, which then flows onto a number of units.  You can get the latest from the downloads section of the official IHMN blog here.  Indeed you should go visit that site regardless as there are lots of other goodies to enjoy there, including some great Company lists made by other players.

Overall its a simple skirmish set of rules which are quick to play but neatly include many nuances, the theme is wonderfully integrated throughout, and the inclusion of everything you need to build your own units from the ground up is excellent.  I'm now developing a Company List for a Royal Naval landing party, equipped with (patented) armoured Kelly suits and supported by a bomb-toting dirigible - no doubt they will give Johnny Foreigner a good what for!

'Thopter!

I spied this most lovely little 'Thopter this week - great for all sorts of VSF mayhem and there are even specific rules for Thopters in In Her Majesty's Name!
http://www.tobsen77.de/products/libelle.php#

We will Remember Them