Not much to show you this weekend

I've been painting today so until finished not much to show you.

So just a progress(or not as the case may be) report.Had a clean out of extra 'bits' to give me clear idea of where we are with the cloudships.

Tiger minis.

Plus an old pic of the Americans I've formed up for Mars.Army and Marines to protect the Consul to the British part of Mars Arthur.J.Ranstead.His the large chap in the middle.Also head of the US spy network on the planet.Missing the Stars and Stripes,still looking for a good 28mm source.

Those of you that have been following me on other sites and forums know that I don't hold with the rewriting of the ACW.So like the original Space 1889 background the USA is one united country.Not a new history like Space 1889 and Beyond on its website.If you want CSA on Mars,great no problem.

They could be those looking for a new start as we have seen in films and books from other sources.Don't have a problem with it.But the idea a split US could reach the stars I find difficult.But its not my IP and its VSF in the end.

So any CSA not too long on the tooth to go to Mars that happen to turn up on my version of Mars won't be part of a CSA with its own space programme.These figs were inspired by a chance showing of the fim the Lion & the Wind a few years ago.

The Sons of Aries

In an attempt to post on more regular basis.I'm putting up some fluff and pics taken last year but not published.While the political games of the "Great Powers" provide many scenarios you can't really do without some real rotters in a VSF game.

So I came up with the following brief out line to go with the minis.


The Sons of Aries is an interplanetary secret organisation using crime towards a present unknown goal. They have bases of operation all over Mars but their current HQ is in Shastapsh. But his main factories/ laboratories vaults and his interplanetary launch centre are based in Sithonius Lacus near the Martian North pole.

 

The Professor-No one but its mysterious mastermind knows the true purpose behind the orders actions but it accumulates wealth, influence, technology both human and alien while becoming ever more powerful. Only known to his servants by the title ‘Professor’ .He was once a member of the Brotherhood of Luxor the recently destroyed secret organisation. No one knows his connections to Brotherhood as one of its agents as most of its network was lost.

Nor at the time did the Brotherhood know his true aims or how much he had learnt of the organisations secrets and how much he had used this knowledge to his own advantage before the organisation was brought to its end by agents working for the British Empire. He was able to secure some Vulcan technology and perhaps more importantly the blue prints and logs of Kronos. He personally witnessed the use of Red Sands and knows its unreliability but has samples hidden away should he need it.

But as can be seen he has had his fingers in many pies for his own personal aims for a long time. His current public cover is that of an unassuming consul official for the Imperial German Foreign Office based in Shastapsh.

Countess Zebrowska- is one of the Professors chief lieutenants and was once a penniless Polish heiress. The Countess has used her brains, sabre skills and seductive charms to become a leading member of the Sons of Aries operating on the red planet. She is now the head of the orders security and intelligence forces. She is assisted by her number two and lover Cpt. Stefan Alexandrov formally of the Russian Imperial Army. She has a small but loyal guard who provide security for her.

Professor Achmed  Hawass-One of the few Egyptian Egyptologists and now an expert in ancient Martian/Vulcan culture. A treasurer seeker , archaeologist and linguist for his master the Professor. Hates the British Empire with a passion and is wanted in Cairo for the murder of two British archaeologists and a policeman.

Mainly Mars based:

Sister Maria- is a fanatical Christian mercenary who works for the SOA under the impression that their ultimate aim is to cleanse the planet of non-believers and heretics. She wears a mechanical suit of armour which gives her incredible strength and power. She has become the Professor’s assassin and internal enforcer. She carries a broad sword and a twin barrelled percussion pistol which is one of the few weapons that can bring down an Iron Guard with a direct hit.

The Iron Guard-These Automotons protect the Leagues secrets and act as a personal bodyguard to the Professor as well as his shock troops. They are incorruptible and are the only servants he trusts totally. They are armoured machines and can be equipped with devastating weapons developed by the Professor’s secret labs. Such as flame throwers and auto guns with can allow them to act as one man armies. Though they are very expensive to build and maintain. They are rarely used in combat unless other troops can’t achieve the goal. Some ancient Martian/Vulcan technology maybe used in their construction and operation.

Cpt."Neehap Saring"of the Jagged Dagger- (Martian version of Eastern name) Pirate Captain of the Jagged Dagger. He real name is unknown many just call him after his ships name or Captain to his face. A member of the League who’s main work is piracy but also responsible for its fleet of covert transports. He has Martians and earthers as his crew and a small force of lightly armed eastern marines.

Fu Manchu-Roving Chinese Imperial Consul & one of the Professors lieutenants. A criminal mastermind who administers is Masters underworld criminal businesses section of the Leagues wealth making operations. Such as piracy, smuggling, extortion, prostitution, drugs, gambling, slavery etc. His cover is as the roving Chinese Imperial Consul which allows him to travel around the planet with relative ease. He is assisted by his secretary/mistress/assassin Fao Lo Sue and gigantic his body guard Ho, a former Chinese Imperial executioner.

Conner O'Neil-An American slaver and gun runner in the employee of the Professor.

Tronsky-Spy and anarchist he believes he is fighting for his beliefs when in fact his contact and supplier is the Countess carrying out her masters bidding. He operates mainly in the Russian Imperial sector. His fond of dynamite and carries some sticks with him where ever he goes.

Mainly Venus based:

Two Gun Noonan-American assassin , gunman and enforcer who often works with O’Neil as well as other members of the Professors organisation.

Cizith-Venusian Shaman may not be the first idea of an ally but his talents in poisons, potions and Venusian magic is highly valued. He can sometimes act as a link with Martian secrets. He is assisted by Flish is one of the best trackers on the planet and a highly feared Venusian Hunter.

 

Most of these are either Ironclad or Copplestone minis with a few OOP chaps I picked up on ebay.

 

 

Space 1889 Venus -Lizard Huts-Work in progress

 

This was to be a finished project to post at the weekend but the Memsahib caught me in the laundry looking for old towels and rebuked me on thinking any such thing was present in the household linens! Two if it was I wouldn’t be allowed to use it for my “little men”. So I’ll have to pop out at the weekend to try and find some cheap hand towels. So here is a teaser before they are finished and used in a game. Thanks to Matakishi for the thatched roofing idea using towelling.

For four huts:

PVA Glue

One old towel

Thin card

Corrugated card

Dowling

Cocktail sticks x 350

One used kitchen towel roll

Bases and flocking

Domestic paint

 

 

 

Please note the work was not done on the floor just placed there to take photos. No carpets were harmed in the making of this report ;)

Following the original plan to keep costs low for Venus I’ve gone down the Blue Peter route of building.

Well not quiet , no toilet rolls but kitchen rolls, they are slightly thinker and stronger I find.

First cut the rolls into smaller tubes to form the skeleton of the hut. Cut a circular floor from corrugated cardboard and glue in place.

Then with your finest PVA glue coat one section of a tube and place your cocktail sticks onto it. Now the trick is not to try to do one in one attempt. It is likely to fall apart if you do. Let a section dry first and go onto another tube and repeat.
Once dry you can trim the cocktail sticks should they be a little too big and move onto another section.

Once you’ve finished the number of huts you want and they are much stronger now with the sticks in place make your holes in your floor for the ‘legs’. Match these up with your base so all fits in line for when you raise your hut.

 

Next cut a circle in card and place a centre cut in it and fold to make a cone. Add glue and us something like a bull clip to hold it in place until dry. Then take your old towel and glue in on top of your cone and wait till dry.Trim to your desired shape and paint the whole hut the colour scheme you want and dry brush to finish.

 



 

Its up to you if you want to secure the legs into the base with glue, it depends on ease of transport.  I’ve taken the risk and hope they travel well. 

The ideal for the over all project comes from page 30 of the sadly maligned Conklins Atlas.

Fadath Army Structure my version

Half the fun for me is the fluff behind armies.Here is a structure of my version of the Fadath Army.The things you do while waiting for glue to dry ;)

 

 

The Royal Fadath Army

Melas Royal Guard

When the city of Melas fell to the Belgians a small group of city troops who survived the bloodbath volunteered their services to the Princess are her private bodyguard. Though technically part of the Royal Army they only answer to the Princess.

The Royal Guard make up about 1% of the whole army

 



 

 

 

Melas Freedom Guard

These are volunteers who escaped the fall of Melas and are forming a new force that’s hopes one day to free Melas from the Belgians. They are equipped with mixture of Fadath weapons and old Fadath armour. This force is currently commanded by a former junior officer who escaped the fall of Melas. He is an able and brave officer but has never commanded a major force, and he fears that he may never get the chance to free his homeland.

The Melas Freedom Guard make up about 3% of the whole army

1^st Fadath Foot (The Freeman of Fadath)-Freed Slaves

The army has changed dramatically since the recent war with the Oenotrian Empire. Its need for troops forced them to arm slaves on the promise to free them. Most of those not from Fadath have remained in military service. Commanded by their own officers or human mercenary officers. Equipped with a mixture of Martian and human weapons and style of clothing.

Rifles unit-Proto-Marines
Edited:30/04/14

The Guards

The 2nd ,Rifled Muskets unit

The 3rd ,Spears man unit

1st Fadath Field Artillery

They make up about a 70% of the whole army.



Mercenaries

Hesperian Free Company (Command Ground) Part of the Hesperian Basin Trading Company

Merryweather's Scouts

Ivan's Cossacks

School of Artillery

The Training Corps

Acting as military advisors, instructors as well as elite infantry units guarding key positions such as the city armoury, the gas works , the Royal palace  and the landing fields.

Groups of mercenaries such as the Grovener's Rifles , Nash Merryweather’s Scouts ,  School of Artillery, Cpt./капита́н Ivan’s sharp shooters are based in the city. All are employed by the Hesperian Free Company a military wing of the Hesperian Basin Trading Company who has negotiated a contract with the city to provide training and provide military support to the ‘new army’. Many European nationalities are employed in this work each with unique skills and equipment. The current CO is Colonel Frost (British Army retired) .

Hill Martian Cavalry

They make up the bulk of the mounted Fadath forces.

Mercenaries make up about 1% of the whole army but punch well above their weight.





Fadath Regulars

These are mainly infantry units consisting of swords men (armed with the regional weapon the Fadath Glaives), Archers and Rifled Musket men. The regular army replaced its smoothbore muskets with rifled before the late Prince died. Archers are still used and trained for frontline duties and the trend for fazing these out for black power weapons hasn’t reached the conservative Fadath Army.

These troops are suspicious of the better equipped of the human’s mercenaries and look down on the freed slave units. A number of senior officers are loyal to Prince Hastuun. A larger number of officers feel the city is going in the wrong direction and the Princess (not Fadath by birth) is striking at the heart of Fadath’s way of life.

Most officers are drawn from the families of the Merchant Princess & the establishment and see their position of the elite at risk and favour a return to the old ways. But the rank and file currently support the Princess but are unhappy at the suggestion of allowing foreign freed slaves into regular army units.

Regular troops make up about 25% of the whole army.

Prince Daanyo’s Command

Swift Death (Archers) Fiercely Loyal to Daanyo and in turn his sister inlaw

Dooms  End (Choppers) Loyal to Fadath

Kristyanna Shield (Choppers) Formally called  Gisra’s Shield and the Royal Bodyguard. Loyal to Fadath but unhappy about being replaced by foreign Melas troops.

Canal Watch Cavalry (Carbines)Loyal to Fadath. They don’t spend much time in the city so don’t get mixed up in its politics but are important to the power game  as they are one of the few Fadath cavalry units.

City Levy (Smoothbore Muskets) Loyal to Fadath unhappy about losing their slaves in the recent emancipation. Militia troops so not full time soldiers. Their weapons are stored in the Royal armoury.

Rural Levy (Smoothbore Muskets) Loyal to the Princess as she has helped the rural poor. Militia troops so not full time soldiers. Their weapons are stored in the Royal armoury.

Prince Hastuun’s Command. Either inherited through his family line or won in the field of battle.

Deadly Sting (Rifled Musket s) Loyal to Prince Hastuun. (They are currently  restricted to barracks while under investigation for some of their fellow band members treasonable actions against the 1^st Fadath Foot. These investigations are being carried out by cadet officers from the Army & Fleet Academy appointed by Prince Hastuun)

Palace Guard (Choppers) Loyal to Prince Hastuun. They guard the perimeter wall around the palace complex and all entrance points and exits. The often come into verbal conflict with the Princesses Royal Body Guard though no blood has been spilt between them......yet .To add to this tension are human mercenaries which hold the interior entrances and exits.

City Guard (Choppers) Loyal to Prince Hastuun. They are responsible for the defence of the city walls and gates.

Royal Armouries Loyal to Prince Hastuun, Responsible for the production of all Fadath’s powder and weapons.

Army & Fleet Officers Academy Loyal to Prince Hastuun. Native  officers to Fadath , bands and fleets are trained here. Prince Hastuun is its Principle and head tutor of military tactics and strategy. No former slave has been allowed entry.

Hastuun's Body Guard Fiercely Loyal to Prince Hastuun. Picked from the deadliest bladed weapon fighters  in Fadath. All officers in the own right and veterans of many battles all followers of the Mrohzanji sect.



 

Sorry for the low quality of the charts Picasa won't let me put any better pics on. :(

 

I've put them in a colour code to show who controls what and who is neutral within the politics of the city.Edited 04/02/13 sorry if you've seen some of this before from earlier posts but I just wanted to flesh it out bit more.

Re-edited 30/04/14

The addition of the "Guards" to the Fadath first foot.

The new Marines

The Guard

The 2nd

The 3rd

1st Field Artillery

Below some 'new' pics of the units of the 1st Foot