Preliminary Fliegerjaeger Stats (GASLIGHT)

Die fliegerjaeger need to have statistics and some rules worked up for them. I have some preliminary ideas as to how they will operate, but the rules will need testing.

Advantages:

The flieger gear allows a model so equipped to move at Soar 24 for one action. The model automatically comes back to ground at the end of the action. It requires re-winding as well, which is handled the same as a Reload action. Models can charge directly into combat with the flieger gear. Also, the gear is attached to a breastplate. This armor gives an Extra a Save of 5 from long range smallarms fire and Scuffle attacks.

Disadvantages:

Flieger packs (die fliegertornister) are heavy. Any model wearing one has a 2" reduction in their movement on land, and can not swim at all. Landing in water automatically kills the model. The packs are also rather awkward in close combat. When in melee, any model wearing a fliegertornister has a -2 modifier to their Scuffle attribute. There is no effect on Shooting. Finally, no model wearing a flieger pack can enter a normal building entrance. Barn doors, okay, but a standard door or window? Forget about it. Flieger packs may be removed by using one action. Putting them on again would require another action.

Other Thoughts:

I am considering giving fliegerjaeger a bonus to Scuffle on the turn they charge, if they charge in flight. This is to represent the large whirling blades which could be used as a weapon. On the other hand, you could argue that the difficulty of controlling such awesome weapons of whirling death would offset the massive damage they would do. Perhaps a SRM modifier insted of a Scuffle modifier? Or even a modifier on the charged unit's Morale test (+1 to the roll?) to stand their ground in the face of the charge? It would be pretty scary, I think.

Weapons

Regarding the weapons of the fliegerjaeger, officers are armed with pistols. NCOs and jaegers are armed with reciprocating carbines (Karabineautomatische) designed by the KFG for their use. Use the regular GASLIGHT stats for a submachine gun (Range: 6/12, SRM-10, ROF 2).

Fliegerjaeger Photos

Hauptmann Captured On Static Plate!

From Neu Berlin, we have received static plates of the leader of die Fliegerjaeger. He is equipped with a fantastic invention for personal mobility designed by the Kaiserlich Forschungsanstalt fur Geheimewaffen (KFG). The long blades above the captain's head are sent whirling in a circle at astonishing speed, which forces air downward, lifting the soldier straight up into the air! Powered by an ingenious spring arrangement, the device does not last long, but can allow troops to cross thick or difficult terrain in long jumps rather than slowly crossing by foot.

The captain is also armed with a repeating pistol attached to a stock for use as a carbine. His eyes are protected with goggles from the debris flung about by the downdraft of air from his flieger gear.

One can only hope that the scientists of Britain will find some way to counter this astonishing device.

Armed Forces Day (UK)

Okay, so technically speaking, yesterday was Armed Forces Day for the United Kingdom.

So, I suppose this is a belated honor, but:

To the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen of the United Kingdom:

In 1940, you stood alone against the Nazis.

Now, you stand with your allies against terrorism.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Vardu Plans

The following is a quote lifted from copy text Matt Beauchamp of Hydra Miniatures' blog. It was posted two years ago...

Xenophobic and defensive in nature, the humanoid plant race of the Vardu rarely travel far from their native rainforests. The Vardu are not one species of plant-being, rather they are a variety of different species linked by collective intelligence of their surroundings. Silent yet ferocious when provoked, the Vardu use dried organic weapons from the forest - large seedpods on rigid stems become clubs, enormous dried leaves become blades. The humanoid Vardu warriors tower over most enemies on the battlefield. Their gnarled bodies are a mass of tendrils formed into strong sinews. A thick wooden hide usually protects their central bodies and their limbs and body often sprout incredible sharp thorns. Their blossom-like "heads" contain all of their sensory and sexual organs and are often opened dramatically in battle to enhance their awareness, aid in comunication, and frighten invaders. the Vardu reproduce by budding, and small sproutlings emerge from the leaf-like structures that project from their backs. These sproutlings finally drop to the ground and gain mobility, easily swarming invaders. The exotic Vardu elders are rather exotic and are easily identified by an abundance of brilliantly colored, feather-like petals sprouting from their heads and backs. Covered in sharp spines and rough barky armor, the Vardu blood thorns are the most dangerous close combat warriors of the forest. Breeds of smaller, muscular, carnivorous quadrupeds known as maw hunters serve as the "hunting dogs" of the Vardu. their strong limbs allow them to overrun their enemies and their gaping maws can make short work of their prey. Ambling quietly along the forest floor, the sporers are bloated multi-limbed fungi with massively oversized heads. A distinctive whoosh sound can be heard as the plant-thing launches a powdery cloud of spoors, choking all non-plant creatures in the vicinity. These floating clouds of spoors are also used to cloud enemies vision, thus allowing the Vardu warriors to advance undetected.

So far, only the Vardu sprouts have been released. I own twenty, for use on Venus in both 15mm and 25mm scale, although they are technically supposed to be 25mm miniatures. I love the scale-neutrality of the sprout figures, which stand between 20 and 24mm tall. As Matt himself says, "They'd be perfect for pulp/VSF games..."

Why do I bother to post about this? I am hoping to drive more business Matt's way so that he'll produce more figures. You should definitely check out his Retro Raygun stuff too, for retro-looking robots that make for great VSF automatons (see them elsewhere on this blog!).

And for the record, I have no financial interest of any sort in Hydra Miniatures, nor have I ever met Matt personally. Just a very happy customer who is looking forward to more products from a talented sculptor.

Hauptman zu Fliegerjaeger Finished!

I finally finished the first of die fliegerjaeger, Hauptman Johann Grossemund. And the three remaining Seraphim-class aeronefs for the full squadron of five. I'll try to get some photos taken soon.

And I upgraded the Pledge count a few days ago.

I have fallen off the everyday wagon this week, though. I've been very busy with a teacher's workshop that I am attending at Rice University here in Houston, and between getting up early and dealing with traffic, then coming home and doing family stuff, I just haven't had the patience to sit and work on anything this week.

So that's how my progress has been this last week or so. I need to look at projects again and start making some priorities to finish. I have just about got everything ready for Historicon, so I can look at other things now.

[Editor's Note, 06.29.09: German fixed, thanks to Klaus. Thanks Klaus!]

Father's Day: What are YOU doing?

So, it's Father's Day. And I know a lot of the readers here are dads. So, the burning questions are:

1) What did you get? Another tie?

and

2) What are you going to do today?

As for me, I already got my present - the display case I mentioned in an earlier post. As for what I'm doing: going to Mass, coming home, taking a nap, and grilling up some dinner later on this afternoon. That's about the extent of my plans for Father's Day.

So, Dad, Daddy, Father, etc... enjoy your day!

One last thing: Do you know why Father's Day is in June? Because about a month after Mother's Day, some man thought "Wait a second..."

Abandoned Martian City Found!

Fabled Abandoned City of Jef-Carr-Lyl

Famed archaeologist Cacique Caribe of the University of TMP has identified this location for us. You can see more inspirational work by the same artist at this location.

[Editor's Note: Now THAT'S how you do a Martian canal city. I only wish I would ever have the time, talent and treasure to spend on creating something that modeled this in 15mm. Wow. But it is an incredible inspiration piece, and makes me happier with the row houses I have been building off and on for a Martian canal city. At some point, I have to do the canals themselves.]

Insanely Cool Project

This is not my project, but it is absolutely awe-inspiring.

A giant - and I do mean GIANT - steampunk airship. In 28mm scale. For a Warhammer 40K gamer. And so far, it is totally beautiful. Here's the link:

http://fischers-design-shop.blogspot.com/search/label/Athena

And I can't help lifting two of his images to whet your appetites to go and see this work. Klaus, let me know if you want me to remove it - it's your project after all, and your images - but I gotta say that your Athena is incredible.

This is the gondola section. The plan is that each door will allow an airborne trooper to drop from it. Sixteen doors, total.

Here is a forward elevation shot, showing the exposed ribs, the flight deck (did I forget to mention it's also a carrier?) and the side rudders and island bridge.

Reinforcements in the Mail

I know I swore I wasn't going to buy any more toys until Historicon.

I really meant to hold to that promise, too.

But... I found about a great deal on some minis via TMP. And for only 27.50 GBP (about $46 USD), including shipping from the UK to Texas, I just couldn't pass it up. Got home today from a trip to Dallas, and this is what was on my doorstep:

• 30 Old Glory 25mm Boer War Brits, of which 20 are very nicely painted.
• 19 Foundry Northwest Frontier Sikhs, 2 painted.
• 2 Indian elephants
• 2 lions
• 5 Bactrian camels
• 1 dromedary
• Col Marbles (Frother's)
• 4 harem girls dancing
• 5 women in burqas
• 7 Foundry DA British officers and adventurers, 4 painted
• 1 'native' cannon

The miniatures of indeterminate origin are believed to be Irregular Miniatures.

Time to revise the Pledge, I guess. Man, this year is going to be very bad, what with Historicon coming up and all...

Wily Germans!

A new German company is making some really interesting stuff. I've mentioned them before, with their monowheel, but they've been busy and produced new stuff, like screw vehicles, big cannons, and other good stuff.

http://www.tobsen77.de/index.php?lan=en

They're called Tobsen77. Check them out.

Minor Clash Last Night

Mechanical Menace versus Martian Malcontents!

   Last night, a series of brief clashes were reported between a group of known Martian troublemakers and a motley menagerie of mechanical minions.

   Overall, it seemed the Martians got the best of the automatons, but the fighting was desperate at times. Firepower seemed to save the day for the flesh and blood brood, as they managed to put down several of the brass and iron terrors before they could close in with pincer, saw, claw and stinger.

   Again, the proud deathrays were sadly chewed up in their second attempt at the tough toolbots. This time, however, they gave as good as they got, destroying all the toolbots while losing all but the Prince in the scuffle. The Prince had hoped to swoop in with his lances in a devastating charge before flying away

   Rifle-armed Martian levies appeared for the first time on the field, and accounted for several automatons before being slaughtered like hariskin (a small Martian animal, like a rabbit, but slower and dumber) in close combat by the spiderbots. It would have happened sooner, had the spiderbots not malfunctioned and wandered aimlessly in the wrong direction for half an hour before being brought back under control by Professor Maton himself.

   Unfortunately, our photographer was killed and his camera lost, and so we have no photostats of the events to show you. The camera's parts are probably being salvaged by the infamous genius of the Martian wastes at this very moment. The photographer's parts have undoubtedly been cleaned up by the ravenous wildlife of the red sands...

[Editor's Notes: Second playtest for Historicon. No full scale battle this time, we merely set up a couple of skirmishes. Remembered the rules better this time, though I forgot to make a Morale test or two for the Martians (Automatons don't make them). I am pretty satisfied with the malfunction rules now, and the combat ability of the automatons. Don't let them get too close if you can avoid it! But most have no ranged weapons. I may tweak the Start and Sustain rolls a bit for the different types of automaton, for a little individuality. Next playtest is next Wednesday. We'll keep you posted.]

Painted Minis Arrive, Part 4: 17th Lancers

This is the last installment of the series of reviews for the minis I sent to White Ape Painting Studio to have painted. It was a first for me, and I sent Cathy a small batch of minis that had been sitting for years waiting to be painted, as new purchases kept getting placed in front of them. Eventually, I realized that while I did want - heck, I needed! - these minis for the gaming table, I just was not going to ever paint them myself.

This last batch was twelve 15mm British colonial lancers, from Old Glory, IIRC. I asked that they be painted as the 17th Lancers, circa 1870-1880. Cathy doesn't paint a lot of historicals, she tells me, so I sent along a few pictures as references for her. Here's what I got back:

Not a bad looking unit, all told.

The rough coat on the horses is actually my fault. I had primed them already when I sent them to be painted, and the spray I used left a bad grainy finish on parts of the horses. you can kind of see it in this photo. I am happy with the face and details on this particular lancer.My only real disappointment with Cathy's figures were the three light-colored horses in the lancers. All of them are going to need touching up, as you can see in the photo below. The riders are fine, but the shading got a bit out of hand on the horses and I think in her hurry to get the minis returned to me in time for Historicon next month, she just missed neatening them up. I could send them back to her - she guarantees her work - but for this little bit of fix-it, I don't think the wait and the postage would be worth the trouble.

Overall, I was pleased with Cathy's service. She kept in touch and responded pretty quickly to my emails. She sent plenty of pictures and fixed a few details on the lancers when I pointed them out (example: she had painted the sabre scabbards white instead of bright steel - difficult to tell from the pictures I sent, and white matched the belts and such). For $2 per 15mm cavalry, I think it was a good deal.

So, if you are thinking about sending some of your massive lead pile out to be whittled down, I would say give Cathy at White Ape a try. I will be sending her some more business in the future, after all my Historicon spending is done and I get back to a 'normal' gaming budget.

[Post Script Added 06.10.09: Cathy has offered to refund my money on the three cavalry figures I am not satisfied with. Sounds more than fair to me. I like doing business with folks like this, who stand behind their work.]

My Newest Bit of Terrain!

All I asked my wife to get me for Father's Day was a paint rack.

This is what I got instead.

I. Love. My. Wife.

The Memsahib's Gift

My wife is good to me. She found this display case (lighted, you'll notice) at an office furniture surplus store and bought it for me. It's my birthday/Father's Day/just because present. It's about 7 feet tall.
All I have to do now is figure out what to put on display in it!

I love my wife.

Painted Minis Arrive, Part 3: Red Gex

More painted minis from White Ape Painting Studio!

This time around, its the red gex getting the treatment. Again, the first photo is the sample I did and sent out with the minis needing paint:

And here are two of the nine I had returned:
Still pretty pleased with them. Cathy's communication was good, and she sent photos a couple of times during the painting process which helped get a few things cleared up. More on that in the next (and last!) installment of this mini-series.

Painted Minis Arrive, Part 2: Blue Gex

Following on from yesterday's posting regarding my newly arrived painted minis from White Ape Painting Studio, this is the second unit of four sent. These were once metal GW skinks armed with javelins. They are now a unit of spear-armed Gex from Venus!

The first photo is a closeup of the sample that I painted and sent to Cathy, the painter. He's obviously a leader of some sort.
And here's a closeup of a typical member of the nine figure squad I commissioned:
As before, the lack of basing is at my request. I think she did a pretty good job of matching my sample figure, don't you? There are a couple of spots on these figs that I think I may need to touch up, but I think that's more due to my OCD than anything else.

More to come!

Painted Minis Arrive, Part 1: Gaters

If you have been following this blog for a bit, you may already know that about three months ago I did something I have never done before in my gaming career: I sent minis off to be painted for me. Now, I usually paint my own, and am fairly confident that I can produce a good figure. And I have bought pre-painted before, and been both very pleased and very disappointed. But I've never sent bare lead off to be painted for me. So this is a new one.

I chose to send the figures to White Ape Painting Studio, owned by Cathy Hamaker out of Indiana. Why not one of the big Asian studios? Two reasons: 1) Postage. Way too high for the 40-ish figures I was sending to be painted. 2) The economy. I am trying to promote 'buying American' when possible. The prices were pretty competitive with the Asian guys, especially when you took postage into consideration, and, well, I felt a bit better not having to deal with customs and all of that.

So, on to the reviews. Overall, I am pretty happy with Cathy's work. This first batch I am showing you are what I call Gaters in my VSF universe, but most of you would recognize them as Games Workshop Saurus (the old plastic ones from the boxed set that have been sitting about forever). I sent the mounted figure below as an example of the color scheme I wanted.

And this is what she returned to me today:

Really, not a bad match. You may be looking at the bases and saying to yourself "Uh... what's up with the bases?" That's my fault - I asked that she not do any base work so that I could get everything matching up. Once I do that, and hit it all with a shot of matte varnish, I think this unit of Gaters is pretty much done, although I do need a hero for it. Anyone with a nice metal Saurus hero type - a Temple Guard would work too! - give me a shout.

I'll be posting more - there are three more batches to go. So look for a new posting every day for the next few days.

Martian Rocks and Terrain

Inspired by our friend Eli of I See Lead People, I am trying to do at least 15 minutes worth of productive hobby work every day this month. I've started off well, making more terrain for my Mars table in the form of hills and rock outcroppings, etc.

Below, you see two pieces of that handiwork. The scenario for Historicon will require that the British get their mule train off the board between the long rock face in the foreground and the hill in the background of this photo. A road will be added , and is probably my next major terrain challenge for the month.

This photo shows the advantages of some good terrain: a Martian cannon sited on top of this rock has a very good field of fire for the battle. And cliffs to the front help to protect them from interference. This is another new piece.

My most recently completed piece is this cave. While it won't be used in the Historicon scenario, everyone needs a good cave or two, and it serves as a learning piece for something that will be in the scenario: a mine entry.
Details on construction and more photos of these pieces and others can be found on my terrain blog, Gaming Terrain.

Photos of Martian Rocks and Hills

Three different finishes on these rock formations. I'll create a poll over them, but I would like your input as to which looks best. All three rocks have essentially the same paint job and foundation: 1/2" pink foam, with black flat latex brushed on, then three colors of spray. The rock on bottom right shows this. The second rock, at the top of the triangle, got a spray of textured paint before the three-color spray, and also has a bit of iron oxide gravel on it. The third rock was painted and then I added a pretty solid coating of iron oxide gravel and fine ballast to the top.

Here's a long, ridge-like outcropping. The sloped edges are considered passable, the rugged nearly vertical edges are not. This rock, like all the others, has the three-tone spray paint on 1/2" pink foam. In the background you can see another hill, with another small rise added to it. In the scenario I am creating, the British must pass between this outcrop and the hill to reach their destination off board.

This formation is one of the most complex ones I have done so far, up to four layers thick, but I really like it. It makes for a pretty good high ground to hold, though there isn't much cover. It does provide a good vantage over most battlefields, so if you have a long-range weapon, this would be a good site for it. It's also difficult to scale, as most of the faces are cliffside.

The Brute!

Americans Unveil Steam-Powered Brute!

Designed and built by Baron von J of Unkerlant, and crewed by American soldiers, the new Brute-class of land dreadnought was unveiled last month. One hopes that construction notes may be forthcoming, but these European aristocratic inventors are notoriously secretive about their scientific process, you know. Additional information and photostats of the Brute may be found by directing yourself to the appropriate telephonic interweb location: http://baronvonj.blogspot.com/2009/05/brute-class-land-ironclad.html.

[Editor's Note: This is a really well-done scratchbuild that I was tipped off to by the Editor at TMP, via a news item he posted there. It's really nice work, and I recommend that you take a peek at the Baron's other projects. Very worthwhile, I think.]

Automaton Statistics (GASLIGHT)

A couple of days ago I mentioned (on TMP - www.theminiaturespage.com) posting the stats for the automatons here. So, late as usual, here they are:

Hoverbots [Hydra Miniatures]
Shoot: - Scuffle: 12 Save: 5 Start: 11 Sustain: 9 Speed: Soar 12
Weapon: Pincers (SRM -2)

Spiderbots [Wyrd Miniatures Steam Spiders]
Shoot: 7 Scuffle: 11 Save: 5 Start: 11 Sustain: 9 Speed: Steam 8
Weapons: Poison dart gun (6"/12", SRM -12), stinger

Serv-a-tons [Hydra Miniatures Minibots]
Shoot: - Scuffle: 10 Save: 6 Start: 11 Sustain: 9 Speed: Steam 6
Weapon: Pincers (SRM -4)

ToolBots [Reaper Miniatures: Chronoscope]
Shoot: 8 Scuffle: 9 Save: 8 Start: 11 Sustain: 9 Speed: Steam 6
Weapon: Chainsaw (SRM -4), Power claw (SRM-6) or Electrogun (12"/24", SRM-6)

Brass Soldat [Parroom Station Clockwork Soldier]
Shoot: 8 Scuffle: 10 Save: 14 Start: 12 Sustain: 12 Speed: Steam 10 Spin: 180
Weapon: Bayonet (SRM +3), Autocannon (24"/48", SRM +3, Radius 4", Divide 3)

The Hills of Mars...

I am doing a little bit of terrain work these last few days. I have finally come up with a method that I like for using pink 1/2" thick foam insulation board.

I have a hot-wire foam cutter, a cheapie I got at Hobby Lobby a couple of years back for $10, I think. That's what I am using to shape the pieces, cut smooth bevels for the hillsides, rough faces for cliff sides, that sort of thing.

I'm using spray adhesive. Sounds a little crazy, I admit, but it seems to hold like cement and doesn't eat the foam. This way I can stack multiple layers for more impressive rock outcrops and hills.

So I cut the foam to the shape I want using the hotwire. Then I glue the layers together. So far so good.

The next step is painting. I found some black latex wall paint I had leftover from a DIY project, so I used that. Painted it on the foam, let it dry. Now when I spray paint the colors on the foam, the foam doesn't dissolve away!

Finally, once the black is dry, I hit the foam with three colors of spray in at least two layers of each color. You don't have to wait for each layer to dry - I like the mixed look, it seems mroe natural.

I'll post pictures once I get some decent lighting. I tried to take a few shots tonight, but... too dark.

The Hills of Mars...

I am doing a little bit of terrain work these last few days. I have finally come up with a method that I like for using pink 1/2" thick foam insulation board.

I have a hot-wire foam cutter, a cheapie I got at Hobby Lobby a couple of years back for $10, I think. That's what I am using to shape the pieces, cut smooth bevels for the hillsides, rough faces for cliff sides, that sort of thing.

I'm also using spray adhesive. Sounds a little crazy, I admit, but it seems to hold like cement and doesn't eat the foam. This way I can stack multiple layers for more impressive rock outcrops and hills.

So I cut the foam to the shape I want using the hotwire. Then I glue the layers together. So far so good.

The next step is painting. I found some black latex wall paint I had leftover from a DIY project, so I used that. Painted it on the foam, let it dry. Now when I spray paint the colors on the foam, the foam doesn't dissolve away!

Finally, once the black is dry, I hit the foam with three colors of spray in at least two layers of each color. You don't have to wait for each layer to dry - I like the mixed look, it seems more natural.

I'll post pictures once I get some decent lighting. I tried to take a few shots tonight, but... too dark.

Caravan Raid, Part Two

So, the rest of the Caravan Raid playtest report...

   Turn 6: Sergeant Harbuck and his half platoon of the 23rd Foot clear the crystals and charge the Ghost Archers who have slain two of the British soldiery. In response, the cowardly dogs fled the field of battle (failed a Morale test, ran right off the table)! Rightly afraid of cold British steel! Martian levies pounce upon the malfunctioning spider-bots, and wreck five while they are immobilized. The toolbots manage to return to their programming, and turn to prepare an assault on the levy hacking apart their many-legged friends. HMLS Prince Albert finally fires its first combat shot, only to watch the shell fly wide of the target: one of Maton's giant Brass soldaten. The other half-platoon of the 23rd Foot, under command of Captain Compost-Pyle fire a devastating volley at the same target, and strike it seven times! One round finds a weak spot in the ammunition feed for the massive gun, and BOOM! One brass soldat, blown to bits. Meanwhile, the pack mules - you remember them, the entire focus of the mission? - are wandering about the landscape.

   We ended the game at this point, after almost 3 hours of play, although it is still setup on the table. The game is scheduled to run 3 hours at the convention. I am hoping we can get at least one more turn in during the convention, if not 2 or 3 more. Additional tests will bring my familiarity with the rules up to snuff, and better positioning of the forces will help move the game along too.

   I got a lot of valuable information from the game, and Zach (the Martian player) and I are zipping emails back and forth in regards to ideas for improving the game. Plans are being made to make further tests, although a second set battle might not happen for a few weeks. I am anxious to get at least one more full scale test battle in before Historicon.

   I'm a little unhappy with the automatons. They seemed to break down a little too easily. Once in combat, they were pretty nasty, though. One consideration would be to break them into smaller units (this would be nice for convention play anyway), so that a malfunction roll (which affects the entire unit) would not affect as large a percentage of the entire army.

More Tales of Ol' W.J.

17 May 1881

Another week and three more dead herbivorous reptiles. W.J. Struthers III, our overbred and overpaid civilian 'guest' was bragging about how he shot all three "on the run." However, Sergeant McKay of the dragoons was out on a patrol and he said the stegosauruses were calmly eating swampweed when he killed them. The stegos just looked at him as he approached to within thirty feet before he shot. The funny part was when Ol' W.J fell in the muddy swamp water, and got soaked from head to foot as a stego charged him because he was creeping up on one of her three hatchlings. Just like one of our longhorns back home! As he was telling the story, McKay's face was contorted in an amazingly accurate caricature of Struther's ugly mug. Sergeant Garcia spit the beer he was drinking across the room at the sight, drenching Sergeant Mendoza. Continuing the story, Sergeant McKay said Ol' W.J. was running for dear life as the mom's spiked tail was swinging dangerously close to him. W.J.'s men were running for their lives as well, except for the cook who was just watching the show from a safe and sensible distance.

On a more serious note, this week Doctor Palmer and Caruthers uncovered a coffin elaborately decorated with artwork showing the life of its owner. On the walls there was also pictures and more of the strange writing. The crypt under the temple had four guardians idnetical to the ones in teh upper temple, but on a smaller scale as they were only six feet in height. No one has moved the coffin yet, as the explorers were all searching for traps on it. Crypts and temples like this one back on Earth are often full of many nasty devices that have killed many would-be thieves and explorers.

Well, it is time to hit the Mess for dinner, a fine cigar, and hopefully some more funny stories about Ol' W.J.

Battle Report: Caravan Raided!

   A caravan of the strategically important unobtainite ore has been ambushed as it left the mining facilities in the Ghola District of the Crown Colony. Witnesses report that two different groups apparently tried to ambush the column as it moved towards the Ghola Canal.

   Turn 1: The British begin their advance towards the canal. The automaton force moves towards its nearest foe, the Martians, and prepares to attack. Not waiting to be charged, His Royal Highness Prince Musta Gopotty urges his deathray-mounted friends into an attack against the squat toolbots. A flurry of chainsaws and powered claws erupts as the lances dip towards the mechanical monstrosities, and the deathray cavalry are wiped out in their first action! The losses are 7 to 2, and only HRH remains! Finally, a Martian cannon fires at extreme range, striking HMLS Prince Albert (also in its first outing) in the tracks and damaging the running gear.

   Turn 2: Things look bad for HRH! Although able to fly away from the toolbots, the Professor's flying minions the Hoverbots are immediately to hand. Maton orders the charge, but the delicate mechanical minds of the hoverbots have been damaged in the harsh Martian deserts, and 7 crash to the sands as lifeless hulks. Not to be outdone, the toolbots also immediately malfunction and begin to wander aimlessly around the battlefield. Martian troops begin to re-align themselves to avoid confrontation with the automatons, the musketeers of the Imperial Guard's Emerald Legion leading the way to block access to the canal. On the British end, Captain John Compost-Pyle orders the advance southward to continue, though both the HMLS Prince Albert and ASA #41 lose steam power at this point.

   Turn 3: Wanting nothing more to do with the mechanical monsters, Prince Musta spies a lone woman on the battlefield, servicing the automata. He couches his lance and charges her bravely, slaying Madame Lucille D'Amonds of Skye. A Brass Soldat fires his cannon at the Prince at close range and misses him, as does Professor Maton with his electro-rifle. The remaining hoverbots swoop in to exact bloody revenge for the Prince's cowardly deed, but fail to penetrate his defenses. Maton's serv-a-tons malfunction and begin to wander aimlessly as well, blundering directly into a unit of Emerald Legion halberdiers, who promptly charge their helpless brass foes, destroying 5 of them. At the northern end of the battlefield, the tank regains power and begins heading southward again. Also, Martian infiltrators appear from the sands just south of the unobtainite crystals, but unable to draw a bead on the nearby 23rd Foot. Their appearance is noted, and the stout lads in red move to punish the poor Johnnies with ASA #27 in support.

   Turn 4: HRH continues to have a dismal day; in fact, it's downright fatal. Unable to escape the flying constructs of Maton's fiendish mind, the Prince is cut to pieces by their sharp shears. In celebration, the hoverbots immediately freeze up, processing their regicide. The Martian ghost archer infiltrators move into cover, hoping to pick off a Tommy or two before ASA #27 can get within range. The Martian halberdiers continue to wreck three more of the oblivious serv-a-tons, who merely wander off aimlessly. A second cannon shot is fired at the Prince Albert, narrowly missing it. Lieutenant Heribert Popinjay orders his sepoys to screen the tank from any further long range harassment by the Martian cannons.

   Turn 5: The Martian cannon crews need more target practice, missing yet another long range shot at the sepoys screening the landship. Martian Ghost Archer infiltrators fire their poisoned arrows from the cover of a cluster of unobtainite crystals, killing two of the 23rd Foot. The 23rd Foot respond with a volley and kill two of the sneaking assassins. The Emerald Legion halberdiers fail to charge the remaining 2 wandering serv-a-tons (roll of 19, an 18 or less would have worked!), but luckily, part of the levy is nearby and they rush in to finish off the hapless machines. Meanwhile, Maton's Brass Soldaten open fire on both the Ghost archers and part of the 23rd Foot, missing the fleet Martians, but killing one of Her Majesty's finest. To finish off the turn, the steam spiders, who have been slowly moving towards the retreating Martian levy, malfunction and freeze in place.

Exciting conclusion tomorrow!