Holiday Greetings From VSF And 15mm Science Fiction Gaming

From Our Lot To Yours All The Best This Christmas!

Holiday Greetings From His Imperial Majesty

Greetings from His Imperial Majesty to all his forces around
the world and solar system, although you may be far from the
Fatherland, know that you are in our thoughts during this
joyous time of year, and that your service is held in our highest
esteem.Got Mit Uns....

Victorian Sci-fi Prussians

From The Random Encounters Game Club,A small page to preserve the activities of some chaps from Denmark 

http://therandomencounter.blogspot.com/2009/07/victorian-sci-fi-prussians.html

Changing Of The Guard

This is the first day of the "changing of the guard Ceremonies" in Halifax Nova Scotia its the 100th Anniversery of British Imperial forces leaving their last operational base and garrison in Halifax, I have and will have allot more pictures, there are and will be hundreds of re-enactors portraying military history both Canadian and British from 1749-present, today there were guys from the famed British re-enactment group "The Die Hards" portraying 1780's Line regiment "Duke of Cambriges own Middlesex regiment"

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=86421
 

Tsar1701: Steamtank 'HECATE'

From Those Likely Lads On The Lead Adventure Forum!

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=14843.0

Attack On Melbourne

Interesting details of a colonial harbour defense plan (minus the aerostats and aquanefs of course!)

http://www.awm.gov.au/journal/j35/kitson.asp

Imperial German Painting Guides

Prussians are notorious about looking just right after all

Reading German would be handy for this one, but is not essential
http://www.grosser-generalstab.de/

but this one is all in English:
http://www.kaisersbunker.com/gtp

The Flying Cloud, R-505

It is a world much like our own, except that the Great War
ended in 1916. As the Powers recoiled, exhausted, from the
tragedies of Verdun and the Sommes, Woodrow Wilson was
able to negotiate an Armistice that returned Europe to its
pre-War borders. (For this accomplishment, he was honored
with the Nobel Prize, though this was later tarnished by the
failure of his long-sought League of Nations.) With the forcing
ground of military need removed, aircraft development took
a different path from the one it followed in our world, and
effort that might have been wasted on developing glamorous
but impractical aeroplanes was spent perfecting the far more
capable airships. As the 1920's drew to a close, the world was
peaceful and prosperous, linked by fleets of mighty lighter-
than-air vessels from many nations.

http://airships.paulgazis.com/index.htm

The Madasahatta Campaign

History of Madasahatta

• Madasahatta is a large island approximately 110 miles wide and 160 miles long, lying in the Indian Ocean off the East coast of Africa, some 300 miles east of Zanzibar.

• It had been left in the hands of its native tribes for hundreds of years, except for the Arab trading town. Port Maleesh, on the River Ogopogo in the south-east, which was established by treaty between the Sultan of Zanzibar and the Whoppituppas in 1784.

• Very little interest was shown by European countries until the discovery of gold deposits in the Bloemingstip Mountains in 1891. This event was rapidly followed by colonies being founded, first by the Germans, who established HANSALAND in Central Madasahatta in 1894, followed by the British who established NEW SURREY in the south-west of the island two years later. After several diplomatic incidents, an agreed border between the-two colonies running along the centreline of the Bloemingstip mountains was drawn by the Treaty of Badlikortout in 1898.

• It was rapidly discovered that the HANSA OST AFRIKA company knew what they were doing, and all the gold deposits were on the German side of the mountain range. Queen Victoria made it plain that she was not amused by this fact, and the policy of British Governors of New Surrey since then has been to find some plausible reason for extending the colony in a northerly direction.

• http://www.colonialwargaming.co.uk/Inspiration/Madasahatta/Madasahatta.htm

Wargaming The Russian Civil War

http://www.hodgenet.co.uk/RCW/reds.htm

Colonial Wars

A mailing list devoted to Colonial Wargaming and warfare
in the 1800's. Suggestions for sources, terrain making
methods, miniatures, and rules will be common, as will
discussions of games played and scenarios...wargame,
wargames, war, battle, military, simulation, hobby,
model, modeling, models, modelmaking,
Victorian bla bla bla

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/ColonialWars/

Gatling Gun

In 1861, Doctor Richard Gatling patented the Gatling Gun,

a six-barreled weapon capable of firing a (then) phenomenal

200 rounds per minute. The Gatling gun was a hand-driven,

crank-operated, multi-barrel, machine gun. The first machine

gun with reliable loading, the Gatling gun had the ability to

fire sustained multiple bursts.

http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/a/Gatling_Gun.htm

Expansion And Empire, 1867–1914

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newsouth/5488

Gaming in Austin

This game was a little different in that it was not a colonial power

versus native force but to colonial powers (Britain and France)

duking it out

http://www.lshm.net/?m=200610

British Empire Web Page

A site dedicated to the history of the British Empire

(with emphasis on herArmed Forces)

http://www.britishempire.co.uk/

15mm Victorian Colonial Figure Ranges

A comprehensive listing of 15mm figure ranges for

the discriminating colonialist

.http://www.paleotechnic.com/victorian/15mm_minis.shtml

Unidades de Infanteria

History; Music; Uniforms of the Spainsh Infantry.

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/8745/infanteria/index.htm

SHANGHAI INCIDENT

Here is a link to THE SHANGHAI INCIDENT presented by Mal

and Rick Devonshire as a public display battle. The scenery is

deliberately crowded because ofcourse that was one of the main

features of the real battle. The streets and alley's are actually wide

enough to fit a Flames of War base, but not much else!I'm happy to

discuss making the scenery for those who have an interest in doing

some of their own. Its not as hard as it may look and the materials

are inexpensive.

http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/gallopingjack/Shanghai%20incident/

Death In The Dark Continent

Death in the Dark Continent however is a departure from his previous sets. The first two things that stood out were multiple figure bases, and the use of D20's for shooting (which allows for greater subtlety and a smaller body count.The bases are 60mm wide, and since I had been using HoTT for colonial games, my figures were all ready to go. The rules suggest 30mm base depth for infantry, but I prefer 40mm, which gives skirmish lines a better look as well as protecting those bayonets.

http://macslittlefriends.blogspot.com/2009/10/death-in-dark-continent-first-game.html

NARSTY SURPRISE II !

WE crossed a very rugged, very high range of mountains and descended throughrolling , forested hills to a vast grassy plain that stretched to the horizon.the grass was taller than a man most of the time, which limited visibility andincreased the danger of encountering something large, hungry, and on the huntas we hacked our way through it at a snail's pace. it also made setting up campa supreme bother for our askaris, servants, and porters as the grass had to becut down in order to make a clearing for the camp site, before camp could be setup!

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CARRUTHERS and i were sitting on our bums in a small, freshly cleared area,refreshing ourselves from our dwindling stock of gin, and cleaning our rifles(our gun bearers were busy setting up camp at the time). as usual, CARRUTHERS was going on _endlessly_about the life and times of CARRUTHERS in the bellowingvoice of his as he worked, while i was doing my best to not to hear the samestories for the umpteenth time.I had just re-assembled my RIGBY express rifle; as I wiped a light coating ofall over the barrels, CARRUTHERS was holding the barrels of his own expressrifle at arms length, squinting down same at the lands and grooves, looking for rust, corrosion dirt, etc. suddenly his monocle popped out of his eye, andhis mouth dropped open in consternation. he tried to say something, butappeared to be at a loss for words (a very uncommon state of affairs!)."wots up, ole boy?" I asked pleasantly, as a shadow got between me and the sun.I naturally assumed it was GREYSTOKE returning from his hunt for our dinnermeat.I was answered by the mother of all hissing and felt a blast of foul air that reeked of a carrion pit blowing into my shoulders and the back of my head.startle, I twisted around, and found myself gawping into the maw of this (seeenlarged photo of the skull cracker bird at the lower right corner of the page):http://www.dragonbloodminis.com/shop_sunless.htm

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needless to say, i did the only thing a gentleman hunter could possibly do insuch circumstances. I leaped to my feet with a terrified squawk, then blazed atrail through the tall grass, rendering it slippery behind me, in an attempt toput as much distance between me and the beast as I could in an extremely shorttime!bless him, CARRUTHERS instinctively reacted to our dire tactical situation likethe old campaigner that he was, and lit at a gallop in the opposite directionfrom mine.apparently our choice of tactics worked, as the giant bird just stood therelooking amazed as it twisted its head first in my direction and then in CARRUTHERS direction. This allowed the astounded GREYSTOKE, who was returningempty handed from the hunt an opportunity to bag the beast with his .500 NITROEXPRESS, both barrels.all is well that ends well, I always say!after the askaris of GREYSTOKE's hunting party tracked CARRUTHERS and myselfdown (some distance from the campsite!), they escorted us safely back to camp,our entire expedition feasted upon the giant predatory bird that GREYSTOKE hadshot.

DAWGIE

A NARSTY SURPRISE!

SO, there we were, camped on this beach, getting a bit of rest after a hard pushoverland through plains, hills, and jungles inhabited by an incredible numberof plant eating dinos, who were in turn hunted by terrible carnosaurs. CARRUTHERS, an avid fisherman, was standing in the surf up to his hips, castinghis line out into deeper water with a piece of fresh cut lizard for bait. well he got a bite, some sort of armored fish, that leaped into the air withthe hooks firmly set!!!!and then this, erupted from the water and snatched the armored fish out ofmid-air, and the rod right out of CARRUTHERS' hands!

***************************************

http://www.warpathgames.com/wholesale/warpath.php?m=detail&p=49025

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CARRUTHERS set a speed record for a man running through hip deep surf, and ankle deep sand, not stopping to look back until he had climbed to the top of a treeon the edge of the jungle. from there CARRUTHERS leather lungs turned the airaround our camp bright blue as he gave vent to his thoughts about fish stealing marine life of this lost world!he eventually climbed down from his perch, and made a bee line for faithful M'NUMBA who was standing by with camp chair, tray, glass, and bottle of gin tosoothe

**************************************

CARRUTHERS nerves. a bottle of our precious gin later,

**************************************

CARRUTHERS was fast asleep in the camp chair, snoring through his huge nose much like asleeping brontosaur with sinus trouble . . . .DAWGIE, who spent the better part of the afternoon searching the sandy beach for CARRUTHERS' monocle . . .

Atelia Vehicles

Vehicles design for the Iron Grip game series from Isotx.

http://keiththompsonart.com/pages/sedalesserpent.html

Rahmos Vehicles

Vehicles design for the Iron Grip game series from Isotx.

http://keiththompsonart.com/pages/sedalesserpent.html

Iron Grip Vehicles

Vehicles design for the Iron Grip game series from Isotx.http://keiththompsonart.com/pages/sedalesserpent.html

Confederate Vehicles

Vehicles design for the Iron Grip game series from Isotx.
http://keiththompsonart.com/pages/sedalesserpent.html

Pirate Vehicles

Vehicles design for the Iron Grip game series from Isotx.

http://keiththompsonart.com/pages/sedalesserpent.html

Sedales Serpent

Vehicle design for the Iron Grip game series from Isotx.
http://keiththompsonart.com/pages/sedalesserpent.html

Scientific Adventure Violence For Young Men And Literate Women

The year's foremost journal of progressive armaments and weaponry! Behold the latest line of defense captured in action!The second book to emerge from the printshop at Grordbort Industries, Victory follows in the footsteps of the trans-galactically successful Dr Grordbort's Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory that was released last year.Filled to the brim with first hand tales of exploration and progress from the great heroes of our time, picture strips of unimaginable escapades on the frontier, never-seen-before portraits of dazzling damsels and monstrous villains, and laudable accounts of man and robot pitted against our greatest enemy (the uncivilized world), Victory is an onslaught of action-packed scientific adventure in full-spectrum color - containing facts that every boy and literate girl should know.Written and illustrated by Weta Workshop Conceptual Designer Greg Broadmore, this book sumptuously details a science-fiction history that never was. Hearkening back to the classic sci-fi serials of yesteryear, it reveals the backstories and mythos of Weta Limited's highly limited ray gun collectible line.This gorgeous 64 page full-color hardcover will be available mid-November.
You can pre-order nowdirectly from Weta here:http://www.wetanz.com/victory/

A tip of the Hat...

..goes to the Officers and Gentlemen of this most esteemed VSF Blog, for their assistance to White Wine Sauce in reaching 100,000 Hits today!

My sincere thanks indeed for the materal, links and comments which have encouraged us to keep posting.

http://pauljamesog.blogspot.com/2009/09/wws-reaches-100000-hits.html


Yours in Splicing the Mainbrace!
Tas

Campaigns Of General William Augustus Pettygree

17 Sept. 09 is this blog's first anniversary. Thank you sincerely

for your interest. Please sit back, make yourself comfortable and

relax with a cup of tea or coffee. Advance liesurely from Chapter

1 to the most recent chapter. Carve out five, ten, twenty or thirty

minutes to follow the storyline best. It's easy because this

electronic novel advances almost entirely by captioned photos.

Pictures are worth a thousand words as the saying goes.

http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/

Chapter 18: Outpost #3

Date: 10 September 1899/2009Location: Outpost #3 north

of Fort GrantMission: Telegraph Line Maintenance and

Report Enemy Activity Via Heliograph

http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2009/09/chapter-18-outpost-3.html

Cole Palen

James Henry “Cole” Palen(1925-1993)Cole Palen, founder and curator of New York’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, passed away peacefully on December 8, 1993 shortly before his 68th birthday. With his passing the aviation world and the early aircraft preservation movement in particular lost not only a unique pilot and collector, but also a great character and showman.

http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/cole.htm

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

I had many happy weekends spent here as a

kid, and it's still going strong!

http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/

Lets Do Some Blazing Skies !

From the serious to the down right silly,
'Blazing Skies' has something for everyone!

http://www.freewebs.com/tommiatkins/blazingskies.htm

Now get out there you lot and build a few kites!