Russian Fleet reinforcements

A small Cruiser squadron to reinforce my growing Russian Dystopian Wars fleet.  

Disclaimer: I have used AI to generate a more contextural background.
The models themselves are unchanged and are my own work.

Like the rest of my fleet these are an Ebay rescue, and as a bonus they came with nicely magnetised turrets. I've painted them up in more grungy wartime colours to contrast with the rest of my Fleet. I used historical paint schemes again, this time from the Russo-Japanese war. I think of these ships as offensive night patrollers - going out to screen the main force against marauding torpedo boats

This looks good

But this looks better!

The search for more models from the old Spartan Games era continues...

Dystopian Wars Russian Fleet!

I've been planning a Dystopian Wars renaissance and while the new rules by War Cradle Studios are much improved, I much prefer the older Spartan games era ships in their highly detailed resin. These are quite bit smaller in scale to the newer plastic ones and don't mix well so I'm staying with resin, though they are getting harder to find.

Yes the background is AI generated but how cool is it!

A few years ago I bought a painted Prussian Fleet at CANCON Bring & Buy, and James has a few others of his own, namely Brittanic, Covenant of Antarctica and American. New chum David also has some VERY NICE Brittanic plus Italian States fleets too! Surely this would be enough?

So with this post I start another fleet: Russians! Obvious really....

These are an ebay rescue - a modest fleet for a small battle, and I'm naturally planning expansions. All painted in colours of the (real world) Russian Imperial Navy Pacific Fleet of the pre-dreadnought period.

Moskva Class Dreadnought looks like a floating citadel more than a ship! This is large enough to fit in the Admiral's voluminous drink cabinet and dining set.

Borodino class Battleship -the manufacturer proudly states that "this industrial nightmare will forever haunt the ambitions of anyone who dares cross the path of the Russian Coalition". 

3 Suvorov Cruisers - "the harsh, unbending anvil against which foes are crushed" - characteristically subtle

9 Novgorod frigates "operate in a radically different fashion to the majority of frigates around the world, boasting a curious circular hull that affords it unmatched manoeuvrability." These guys provide AA and close range support for the bigger ships.

Luckily, its only 14 years since I first spied this release to actually getting some painted and ready...

https://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/2012/06/russian-coalition-sighted.html

Painting Notes

Undercoated in White, and washed in thinned Nuln oil (GW)

Contrast for the decks and then planks re painted with Zandri dust (GW)

Hulls worked back to the Celestra White (GW) using a makeup sponge. 

Funnel stacks are Averland Sunset washed in Reikland Fleshshade (both GW)

The Defence of Melbourne, Redux?

Great to catch with a gaming mate recently (lets call him Dave, mostly because thats his name). Of course was showing him my recently completed Crimean Russians, to which he said "put those against my Maori Wars British and we can play the Defence of Melbourne". Mind. Blown. 

Of course we could- we should! We Must!

Real life constraints (such as living in different countries and indeed hemispheres) make this a slower burn project for 18 months or so) but regardless the neurons have been enthusiastically fired, so I'm in research mode now and revisiting this long enjoyed topic topic but with alt-history in mind instead of VSF flavour (at least for now anyway!)

Since I last considered this topic (admittedly a decade or more ago) a local historian has done some fabulous research and self published the outcomes, particularly in these two volumes:

This is interesting to me as I used to live in Hobson's bay and walk past this battery frequently

A review of this latter title here:

https://www.mhhv.org.au/lines-in-the-sand-hobsons-bay-defences-of-williamstown-sandridge-1854-1871-by-keith-quinton/

Both are available from here - unfortunately like many print on demand/low print count the costs for hardcopies are...considerable. However, the author Keith Quinton has kindly made pdf versions available at cup of coffee prices, which I am enjoying now.

https://au.blurb.com/user/keithquinton

Of course I did suggest to Dave that perhaps an assault on the colonial fortification of Fort Scratchley in Newcastle might be a good initial fight. But like me, he grew up in Melbourne and wants to do the big one!

In the meantime, I'll get cracking on the next Russian battalion!

The ‘Right Battery’ at Williamstown, Fort Gellibrand. 

(Image from the Military History and Heritage Victoria website)

And not forgetting this cracking scenario from Space 1889, set exactly at this spot! 

Scenario from GDW's "Ironclad & Ether Flyers" (1990), page 37

The Tsar on Mars!

Presenting my first two Russian line infantry battalions - primarily for my Crimean War project but also deployable to Mars!  

Two Battalions with Regimental officers advancing in Attack columns 

I used different shades across the greatcoats to show varying wear and quality in pre dye-fast colours, and gave the units some identity with one unit sporting a mix of helmets and forage caps (mutzes) which became more common as the war progressed, and another with more strict NCOs ensuring all the troops wear their issued helmets! 

1st Battalion (white shoulder tabs) - all in helmets

I enjoyed a good dose of the inevitable "basing dilemma", badly overthinking it before deciding to go with groups of poorly drilled troops with intermingled casualties, representing both bad training and a stoic intent to get to grips with the invaders regardless of cost! 

2nd Battalion (red shoulder tabs) with mixed helmets and forage caps

Figures are mostly plastic Warlord figs with some metal models by Great War Miniatures mixed in. The former are relatively monopose, but the seperate heads let you impart some great character with modest turns. The latter are wonderful sculpts and mixing them in gives a more dynamic look. Colours by Battle-Flag.com

Normally I hate doing faces but these were very satisfying to do

The army grows!

Aginclank: a VSF refight of the Battle of Agincourt

As part of my recent blog clear-up, I was truly sad to find that 90% of VSF links that I have collected over the past 2 decades are dead. Shouldn't be surprised: there were old yahoo groups, geocities sites, webrings (remember them?) and all up many a great VSF Blog has gone as enthusiasm faded. Sad but natural.

Some of them were really great, and most inspirational. Some I found in the Wayback machine and one here I really wanted to capture for posterity from the blog "Articulated Rot and Steam Launched drivel"

Again, this is NOT my work and is posted here because such great creativity deserves to endure. I present this as originally posted - enjoy!

Aginclank

Henry V's famous battle reimagined in a Victorian Science Fiction setting.

May 28, 2011:For Kublacon this year I ran a VSF refight of the Battle of Agincourt. Below are pictures from the game with some descriptive commentary.

The English Line.

The City of London Post Office Volunteer Rifles in the woods open the English left flank.

Henry, The King, in his tank Racquets, knights by his side.

Uncle Exeter in Harfleur leading the Royal Marines.

York and Gloucester in their tanks with more English foot knights.

The King's Royal Rifles in the woods on the English right flank.

The line of French knights with Martel in the tank Oriflamme.

French Knights seen from the woods.

The French Foreign Legion, part of the French rearguard.
On the right is the French Old Guard forming the infantry center.

Oriflamme proves to be an early casualty while the French knights get stuck in the mud.

 

The English move up to the edge of the muddy field.

French knights led by the Duc de Alencon threaten the Rifle brigade in the woods.

York and Gloucester

Richard Beauchamp, The Earl of Warwick. This is a figure I converted but was painted in masterful fashion by my closest friend Mr. Thomas Foss.

Exeter and the Marines.

Montjoy, the French Herald moves up to offer terms to Henry while a French tank burns most ironically in the background.

Warwick and his squire move up the center.

The Royal Marines and the Post Office Rifles give volleys to the French Knights.

The Duke of Alencon, with the aid of French sailors from the rearguard assault the rifles and force them back into the woods.

More of the rearguard moves up.

English foot knights advancing.

Montjoy, the French Herald.

Exeter.

Having extricated themselves from a particularly deep patch of muck, the French knights turn and charge the Post Office Rifles.

The Rifles hold fast and the combat draws on.

The French Foreign Legion advance in support of the chivalry's attack.

One company of the Rifles withdraw slowly back into the woods while another come out and threaten the Dauphin's flank.

The third company of the Post Office Rifles and their Velocipede, the mighty McPhilleagh.

The English foot knights, ed by Warwick, engage the French line in a series of back and forth skirmishes in the center of the line.

Warwick makes for the French Center.

The Duc de Alencon lies defeated and the French rearguard considers the formidable task of rooting the Royal Rifles out of the woods.

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I'll try and resuurect some of the other great posts 

from  "Articulated Rot and Steam Launched drivel" in the future