Director's Cut WAR OF THE WORLDS

In the year 1898, critically acclaimed author H.G. Wells conceived
of a tale so terrifying that it has captured the imagination of millions
of readers for more than 100 years. Now for the first time ever, the
true adaptation of the classic novel hits the screen with devastating
effect! During a time of growth and prosperity for mankind, came the
ultimate threat to our very existence. The events that were to take place
at the turn of the 20th century would shake the foundations of life as
we know it. The future of the human race was at stake as man's greatest
fear was realized...Suddenly we are no longer alone in this universe
and to preserve our species, we must be victorious in
The War of The Worlds.

A tribute to H G Wells and the early years of film making.

War of the Worlds is a dark tale written in 1898, taking place around 1900, about man's transient place in nature, and the effects of modern machinery on human struggle, whether the machines are in the hands of humans or another species entirely. In the original book, humankind and the narrator are both in defeat and despair at the end, saved for the time being not by any human effort or invention, but by the accidental vulnerability of the Martians to a bacterial organism--another natural species entirely.

This engaging film tells the story in full, including dialogue taken almost verbatim by the page from the original. The visuals are photographed or processed to simulate early 20th Century hand-cranked cameras and projectors, so motion is at variable speeds, with the flickering quality of sub-24-frame-per-second projection. The color is in the style of tinted or two-color process early film (such as sequences in Hell's Angels or the original King of Kings). The actors act like people of 1900, in speech, manner and sentiment. The audio quality is modern, with a good symphonic score.

Special effects echo an earlier age of film, even those effects probably duplicated with CGI rather than modelling and stop-motion. Folks who have to have modern graphics won't like it, period. However this film is a story being told, not an imitation of an imaginary hyper-reality handed to an audience. It requires an extention of the viewer's mind, and rewards that effort with a journey through the world of Herbert George Wells. The Martian war machines and the reduction of their victims to skeletons, as well as the occasional squashing-flat of the stomped-on are efforts which Harryhausen would appreciate (though one sequence of naval combat would have been regarded as primitive by D W Griffith).

Because of the fidelity to the book, and probably because the film is released on DVD without preliminary editing for an American theatre audience, it runs three hours, a sort of director's cut. For those who get into the creative stye of the film and enjoy the details of the authentic story, this is not too long.

http://www.pendragonpictures.com/WOTWKEY.html

Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds CGI movie

TEST ANIMATION CLIPS -
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
War of the Worlds Online has been very
fortunate in obtaining some Research and
Development test animation clips from the
upcoming Jeff Wayne CGI movie due for
release in 2007.

http://www.waroftheworldsonline.com/

Imperialism: A Italian Viewpoint

At the time we are covering, in order to compete with the other European powers, Italy followed a policy of colonial expansion in Africa. She occupied Eritrea (1885-96), Somalia (1889-1905), Libya and the islands of the Aegean (1911-12). A commercial concession (500 sq miles) centered on Tien-Tsin was obtained from China in 1902.

Imperialism: A German Viewpoint

The following extract from Friedrich Fabri's book Does Germany Need Colonies, published in 1879, makes the German argument for colonial expansion, one similar to those made by English and French writers of the period. While France and Britain had long experience of colonial conquest and foreign trade contacts, colonial-minded Germans could only bemoan their country's late arrival on the world scene and consequent diminished possibilities for colonial acquisitions. The late 1870s i n Europe--a time of economic depression--brought to a head decades of commercial rivalry among the powers. This was rendered all the more sharp by the general perception that the securing of trade and influence overseas, particularly in the virtually unta pped interior of Africa, could solve national economic problems and enable countries such as Britain and France to maintain their dominant positions in world trade. Inevitably, similar conclusions were drawn in Germany which was soon to emerge as Britain' s rival in industrial production and technological advance. Dr. Friedrich Fabri, though director of a German missionary society that had been active in Africa for decades, earned the name of 'Father of the German Colonial Movement' through his forceful propaganda in promoting colonial development. As a result of h is influence, several important elements of German society--bankers, intellectuals, businessmen, military leaders--joined in the establishment of a German Colonial Union (Kolonialverein) and similar societies. Such was the force of propaganda and the publ ic opinion these created that the German chancellor Bismarck, no avid exponent of colonial ventures, was compelled to endorse the acquisition of a small strip of land along the coast of South West Africa (present-day Namibia)at Angra Pequeña (now Lüderitz Bay) in 1884. Further acquisitions followed in West Africa (Togo and Cameroon) and in German East Africa (now Tanzania).

Should not the German nation, so seaworthy, so industrially and commercially minded,.....successfully hew a new path on the road of imperialism? We are convinced beyond doubt that the colonial question has become a matter of life-or death for the develo pment of Germany. Colonies will have a salutary effect on our economic situation as well as on our entire national progress.
Here is a solution for many of the problems that face us. In this new Reich [i.e., the new Imperial Germany] of ours there is so much bitterness, so much unfruitful, sour, and poisoned political wrangling, that the opening of a new, promising road of na tional effort will act as a kind of liberating influence. Our national spirit will be renewed, a gratifying thing, a great asset. A people that has been led to a high level of power can maintain its historical position only as long as it understands and proves itself to be the bearer of a culture mission. At the same time, this is the only way to stability and to the growth of national welfare, the necessary foundation for a lasting expansion of power.
At one time Germany contributed only intellectual and literary activity to the tasks of our century. That era is now over. As a people we have become politically minded and powerful. But if political power becomes the primal goal of a nation, it will lead to harshness, even to barbarism. We must be ready to serve for the ideal, moral, and economic culture-tasks of our time. . . . . . .
No one can deny that in this direction England has by far surpassed all other countries. ............I has been customary in our age of military power to evaluate the strength of a state in terms of its combat-ready troops. But anyone who looks at the g lobe and notes the steadily increasing colonial possessions of Great Britain [will perceive] how she extracts strength from them, the skill with which she governs them, how the Anglo-Saxon strain occupies a dominant position in the overseas territories................
The fact is that England tenaciously holds on to its world-wide possessions with scarcely one-fourth the manpower of our continental military state. That is not only a great economic advantage but also a striking proof of the solid power and cultural fib er of England. Great Britain, of course, isolates herself far from the mass warfare of the continent, or only goes into action with dependable allies; hence, the insular state has suffered and will suffer no real damage. In any case, it would be wise for us Germans to learn about colonial skills from our Anglo-Saxon cousins and to begin a friendly competition with them. W hen the German Reich centuries ago stood at the pinnacle of the states of Europe, it was the Number One trade and sea power. If the New Germany wants to protect its newly won position of power for a long time, it must heed its Kultur-mission and, above all, delay no longer in the task of renewing the call for colonies

Imperialism: A French Viewpoint

The main impulse behind the Western phenomenon known as Imperialism was economic--the desire of the West to expand markets, provide opportunities for investment, and secure access to needed raw materials. Other motives necessarily intruded, given the arrogance of power and racist pretensions that existed among elites that saw non-Western areas as backward and lacking civilization. As a consequence of the latter notions, it became easy for the industrial and militarily powerful countries such as Britain, France and Germany, to embark on a program of colonial conquest that would serve both national economic interests as well as the much vaunted, and ofttimes hypocritical, civilizing mission that was purveyed. The following extract from the (1891) book of Paul Leroy Beaulieu on 19th-century colonization illustrates these controversial themes.

It is impossible not to consider imperialism as one of the tasks imposed on the civilized states for the last four centuries, more particularly in our own age.
The present-day world is composed of four different parts in terms of types of civilization. That of Western civilization - our own part. A second part [is] inhabited by people of a different civilization, but organized in compact, coherent and stable societies and destined by their history and present character to govern themselves - the Chinese and Japanese peoples for example. In the third part live peoples advanced enough in some respects, but ones which either stagnated or had not been able to constitute themselves as unified, peaceful, progressive nations, following a regular development.... India ... before the British conquest, Java, and the Indochinese peninsula represent particularly this third type.
Finally, a great part of the world is inhabited by barbarian tribes or savages, some given over to wars without end and to brutal customs, and others knowing so little of the arts and being so little accustomed to work and to invention that they do not know how to exploit their land and its natural riches. They live in little groups, impoverished and scattered, in enormous territories which could nourish vast numbers of people with ease.
This state of the world implies for the civilized people a right of intervention ... in the affairs of the peoples of the last two categories.
It is neither natural nor just for the civilized people of the West to be cooped up indefinitely and jammed into the restricted spaces which were their first home. Nor is it natural and just that they there accumulate the marvels of science, the arts and civilization, that they see the rate of interest fall more each day for lack of good investment opportunities, while they leave perhaps half the world to little groups of ignorant, ineffectual men who are like feeble children . . . or to exhausted populations, without energy, without direction, who may be compared to old men . . .
Imperialism is often confused with commerce or with the opening of commercial markets.... Imperialism means something quite different from the sale or purchase of commodities. It entails a profound action on a people and a territory, providing the inhabitants with some education and regular justice, teaching them the division of labour and the uses of capital when they are ignorant of these things. It opens an area not only to the merchandise of the mother country, but to its capital and its savings, to its engineers, to its overseers, to its emigrants. . . . Such a transformation of a barbarian country cannot be accomplished by simple commercial relations.

Imperialism is thus the systematic action of an organized people upon another people whose organization is defective, and it presupposes that it is the state itself, and not only some individuals, which is responsible for the mission....
Colonization by capital is a very important phenomenon.... European capitalists - and by this word we mean not only a banker, but every person putting aside a little money, a modest employee, a peasant, a worker, a spinster or a widow - can work effectively at colonization, the exploitation of the globe, without leaving their firesides... All they need do is place their savings in an industrial enterprise which constructs railroads, digs canals, erects factories, clears the land in the young countries. In putting their savings to this use, the inhabitants of the old world are not in any way delinquent in their duty to their home country. The countries where civilization is old, like England or France, are enormous producers of capital, and the difficulties in employing their colossal annual savings remuneratively in their own lands becomes great. Of course, the substantial funds of the old countries can always be put into industrial, agricultural or social improvements [in the home country]; but the export of a part of these funds across the seas to the adolescent countries, is much more productive for the entire human race. The same capital which will produce 3 or 4 per cent when invested in agriculture in France brings 10, 15, or 20 per cent in an agricultural enterprise in the United States, in Canada, on the Plata River [i.e.,along the River Plate outlet bordering Argentina and Uruguay] in Australia, or in New Zealand. It is the same for funds put into building railroads.... in general terms, the old countries thus are becoming investors to which the rest of the world offers growing profit . . .
The great value of colonies ... is not only that they serve to catch the overflow population of the mother country, nor even that they open a particularly reliable area of investment for excess capital, it is also that they give a sharp stimulus to the commerce of the country, that they strengthen and support its industry and fumish to its inhabitants - industrialists, workers, consumers - a growth of profits, of wages, or of interest). But.... these advantages resulting from the prosperity of the colonies, are not limited just to the mother countries; they extend to all the countries of the old world [i.e., Europe] and in fact there is not a nation which does not derive a real benefit from this increase in the productivity of humanity.... Imperialism has caused the opening of new sources of production. . . . It is thus that unknown products have been brought to the consumers of Europe to increase their comfort. . . . . That is the the first and incontestable result of imperialism. And this is the second: It is to open the new markets for the sale of products manufactured in Europe, markets more profitable and more expandable than those we have been limited to previously, because the new societies have an ability to grow and to create and accumulate riches infinitely greater than the old societies. Thus trade is stimulated and extended, the division of labour is augmented; industry having before it wider openings can and must produce more and such production on a greater scale calls for new improvements and new advances. . ..
The advantages of which we have been speaking so far are general and apply not only to the mother countries, but to all the civilized countries, even those without colonies.... [But] it appears to us incontestable that the home countries gain a special advantage from their own colonies: first, it is the capital of the citizens of the mother country which is sent there, and in this more productive field it is assured of higher interest, which improves the fortunes of the investors, of which a good number without doubt remain in the mother country. Further, the community of language, habits, and traditions, gives an advantage to the home country over all foreign nations even in free trade with the colonies. The colonists retain for a long time the tastes of the mother country.... [and] their relations with her have a degree of intimacy which she rarely has with other nations....
It is extremely rare that a colony furnishes a net revenue to the mothercountry: in infancy it is not able, in maturity it does not want to.... Inasmuch as a colony must be administered by functionaries, and defended by soldiers and sailors, drawn from the mother country, it is probable that the mother country will be out of pocket a considerable sum....
Thus it is a great illusion to found colonies in the hopes of revenue: But on the other hand, the costs of colonies to the metropole [the mother country] have been singularly exaggerated by the adversaries of colonization....
The English colonies today cost the country nothing, on the whole at least.... Today only her possessions in South Africa require at one time or another substantial expenses.... In the not too distant future, perhaps 15 or 20 years, one can hope that the English colonies of Africa ... no longer will be a charge on the budget even in the least measure.... And after all, what are the few hundred thousand pounds which Great Britain actually pays for the upkeep of colonies as against the immense material and moral advantages which they procure for her?

A British Viewpoint on Imperialism

The speech of the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain, at the annual dinner of the Royal Colonial Institute on March 31, 1897

The year 1897 witnessed the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria's assumption of the throne of England in 1837. Unlike the Jubilee of a decade earlier, the tone of abounding self- confidence and imperial self-congratulation evident in 1887 was noticeably absent on this occasion. The darker side of imperialism had been exposed in the aggressive inroads of French, British and German intruders against the native peoples. In West Africa, the British occupied the territory of the Ashanti whose king, Prempeh of Kumasi, was creating difficulties for the extension of British trade. In 1893 had occurred the treacherous attack on King Lobengula and his Matabele warriors by the British South Africa Company in which the King was forced to flee, his people massacred, and his territory occupied. Moreover, Germany's insistence on her 'place in the sun' as well as the rapid advance of the U.S. as an industrial giant seemed to diminish the hitherto dominant role played by Britain in world affairs. The time had come to reassert the idea of empire, and there was no greater champion of that idea than Joseph Chamberlain. The following extract demonstrates the common thread that served to rationalize the continued hold of the leading European powers on territories they had won both by guile and force of arms.

I have now the honor to propose to you the toast of "Prosperity to the Royal Colonial Institute." The institute was founded in 1868, almost exactly a generation ago, and I confess that I admire the faith of its promoters, who, in a time not altogether favorable to their opinions, sowed the seed of Imperial patriotism . .

It seems to me that there are three distinct stages in our Imperial history. We began to be, and we ultimately became a great Imperial power in the eighteenth century, but during the greater part of that time, the colonies were regarded, not only by us, but by every European power that possessed them, as possessions valuable in proportion to the pecuniary advantage which they brought to the mother country, which, under that order of ideas, was not truly a mother at all, but appeared rather in the light of a grasping and absentee landlord desiring to take from his tenants the utmost rents he could exact. The colonies were valued and maintained because it was thought they would be a source of profit--of direct profit--to the mother country. That was the first stage, and when we were rudely awakened by the War of Independence in America from this dream that colonies could be held for our profit alone, the second chapter was entered upon, and public opinion seems then to have drifted to the opposite extreme; and because the colonies were no longer a source of revenue, it seems to have been believed and argued by many people that their separation from us was only a matter of time, and that that separation should be desired and encouraged lest haply they might prove an encumbrance and a source of weakness.

It was while these views were still entertained, while the little Englanders were in their full career, that this institute was founded to protest against doctrines so injurious to our interests and so derogatory to our honor; and I rejoice that what was then, as it were, "a voice crying in the wilderness" is now the expressed and determined will of the overwhelming majority of the British people. Partly by the efforts of this institute and similar organizations, partly by the writings of such men as Froude and Seeley [English historians and apostles of imperialist expansion], but mainly by the instinctive good sense and patriotism of the people at large, we have now reached the third stage in our history, and the true conception of our Empire.

What is that conception? As regards the self-governing colonies we no longer talk of them as dependencies. The sense of possession has given place to the sense of kinship. We think and speak of them as part of ourselves, as part of the British Empire, united to us, although they may be dispersed throughout the world, by ties of kindred, of religion, of history, and of language, and joined to us by the seas that formerly seemed to divide us. But the British Empire is not confined to the self-governing colonies and the United Kingdom. It includes a much greater area, a much more numerous population in tropical climes, where no considerable European settlement is possible, and where the native population must always outnumber the white inhabitants; and in these cases also the same change has come over the Imperial idea. Here also the sense of possession has given place to a different sentiment --the sense of obligation. We feel now that our rule over these territories can only be justified if we can show that it adds to the happiness and prosperity of the people, and I maintain that our rule does, and has, brought security and peace and comparative prosperity to countries that never knew these blessings before.

In carrying out this work of civilization we are fulfilling what I believe to be our national mission, and we are finding scope for the exercise of those faculties and qualities which have made of us a great governing race. I do not say that our success has been perfect in every case, I do not say that all our methods have been beyond reproach; but I do say that in almost every instance in which the rule of the Queen has been established and the great Pax Britannica has been enforced, there has come with it greater security to life and property, and a material improvement in the condition of the bulk of the population. No doubt, in the first instance, when those conquests have been made, there has been bloodshed, there has been loss of life among the native populations, loss of still more precious lives among those who have been sent out to bring these countries into some kind of disciplined order, but it must be remembered that that is the condition of the mission we have to fulfil.

There are, of course, among us--there always are among us, I think--a very small minority of men who are ready to be the advocates of the most detestable tyrants, provided their skin is black--men who sympathize with the sorrows of Prempeh and Lobengula, and who denounce as murderers those of their countrymen who have gone forth at the command of the Queen, and who have redeemed districts as large as Europe from the barbarism and the superstition in which they had been steeped for centuries. I remember a picture by Mr (Frederick) Selous [the famous African hunter and explorer] of a philanthropist--an imaginary philanthropist, I will hope--sitting cozily by his fireside and denouncing the methods by which British civilization was promoted. This philanthropist complained of the use of Maxim guns and other instruments of warfare, and asked why we could not proceed by more conciliatory methods, and why the impis [native soldiers] of Lobengula could not be brought before a magistrate, and fined five shillings and bound over to keep the peace. No doubt there is humorous exaggeration in this picture, but there is gross exaggeration in the frame of mind against which it is directed. You cannot have omelets without breaking eggs; you cannot destroy the practices of barbarism, of slavery, of superstition, which for centuries have desolated the interior of Africa, without the use of force; but if you will fairly contrast the gain to humanity with the price which we are bound to pay for it, I think you may well rejoice in the result of such expeditions as those which have recently been conducted with such signal success in [West and East Africa]; expeditions which may have, and indeed have, cost valuable lives, but as to which we may rest assured that for one life lost a hundred will be gained, and the cause of civilization and the prosperity of the people will in the long run be eminently advanced. But no doubt such a state of things, such a mission as I have described, involves heavy responsibility. . . . and it is a gigantic task that we have undertaken when we have determined to wield the scepter of empire. Great is the task, great is the responsibility, but great is the honor; and I am convinced that the conscience and spirit of the country will rise to the height of its obligations, and that we shall have the strength to fulfil the mission which our history and our national character have imposed upon us.

. . . It seems to me that the tendency of the time is to throw all power into the hands of the greater empires, and the minor kingdoms--those which are non-progressive--seem to be destined to fall into a secondary and subordinate place. But, if Greater Britain remains united, no empire in the world can ever surpass it in area, in population, in wealth, or in the diversity of its resources....

The Wind And The Lion

At the turn of the century, a North African sheik kidnaps an American widow and her children in Tangiers, setting off a chain of international incidents. But while she's being held for ransom, the widow finds herself increasingly attracted to her captor. Then, Theodore Roosevelt--with thoughts of re-election on his mind--sends the Marines to rescue them, and becomes entangled in both European and Berber political intrigues.

'The Wind and the Lion' is, simply put, one of the greatest adventure films ever made, a classic that helped break the 'James Bond' stereotype for Sean Connery, solidified Brian Keith's reputation as one of America's finest character actors, and gave action-oriented director John Milius his most 'audience-friendly' success. It is a sweeping epic in the tradition of 'Lawrence of Arabia', without the earlier film's subtexts of megalomania and sexual ambiguity. Here, the personalities are clearly defined; they start off on opposing sides, but through the nobility of their characters, their unspoken codes of honor, and a sense of old-fashioned chivalry in a modern world of betrayal and greed, by the film's climax, they become allies against a greater evil.

Some critics attempted to link Theodore Roosevelt's world view in the film to the eventual U.S. debacle in Vietnam. That is unfair to both the film, and to Milius, who, if anything, admires and respects the 'big stick' idealism and machismo of our only true 'cowboy' President. (This respect led the director to film the excellent 'The Rough Riders', twenty-four years later, for TNT). Rest assured, 'The Wind and the Lion' is NOT a boring political treatise!

The setting is Morocco in 1904, where an American woman (Candice Bergen, in perhaps her best screen performance), and her two children are kidnapped by 'the last of the Barbary Pirates' Sean Connery and his large band of followers, who are seeking restitution for a long political imprisonment by his family. In Washington, dynamic young President Teddy Roosevelt (brilliantly portrayed by Brian Keith) uses the incident to send in American marines, both to rescue the family, and influence the country's politics (much to the chagrin of Secretary of State John Huston!) Privately, Roosevelt admires the Arab's courage and honor, and wishes the two could face off in a duel to resolve matters.

As her captivity continues, Bergen learns that the real villain is not Connery, who is truly the 'Chosen' leader of his people, but those who imprisoned him. The Americans discover this, too, as they see alliances being forged between the usurpers and greedy European powers, particularly Germany. Ultimately, this leads to a rip-roaring battle between the two forces, full of unforgettable images (Connery on horseback, at full gallop, snatching up a rifle offered by Bergen's son, is one of the great moments in film history!), as the film reaches a VERY satisfying conclusion.

There are many wonderful aspects to this film, and Jerry Goldsmith's rousing score must be singled out; it is one of the finest of his long career, ranking with his soundtracks for 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture', and 'Patton'.

'The Wind and the Lion' is the kind of epic adventure "they don't make anymore". Happily, John Milius has proven that cliche wrong. This film is ABSOLUTELY essential in any Connery or action film collection. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Native Firepower in the Desert

A Wargamers complete guide to the Armed Opposition to Frances
Expansion Across the Algerian-Moroccan Frontier at the Turn of the Century

By Ian Croxall

Native Firepower in the Desert Firearms in use in southeast Morocco The firearms traditionally in use by the Arab and Berber tribes of Southeastern Morocco were flintlock muskets if the style that had been in use since the 17th century. Mostly Jewish gunsmiths who resided in the kasars of the Tafilalt and Figuig regions in South Eastern Morocco manufactured them. They were made of good quality iron transported from the north along the caravan routes and were often highly ornate and of good quality. These locally manufactured weapons supplemented the considerable numbers of European muskets imported to Morocco throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. This influx of flintlock firearms increased rapidly in the mid nineteenth century as huge numbers of surplus military flintlocks became available when European armies made the transition to percussion rifles. Percussion rifles never gained the respect of the Arabs due to the difficulty of obtaining percussion caps, which they were unable to manufacture locally. Issued with the Chassepot rifle in 1866,the French had their first breech-loading rifle. It was particularly notable for its consumable cartridge. This was an odd choice considering the availability of several metallic cartridges. It was, however considerably superior to its main contemporary counterpart, the Prussian needle gun. There was a shortage of available Chassepots for the French army and they were supplemented with 1866 Remington rolling block breech loading rifles purchased from the United States. Thousands of these Remington rifles found themselves in Africa in the 1860's and 70's. As was the case throughout Africa, the introduction of new weaponry led to a flood of replaced obsolescent weapons appearing in the hands of the indigenous populations. The introduction of the French Gras rifle and carbine in 1874 and the British Martini Henry in 1871 resulted in large numbers of their predecessors, the Remington (and to a lesser extent, the Chassepot) and the British Snider Rifle being issued to trained native armies in Africa. The new rifles differed in that they were dedicated purpose built metallic cartridge breech-loaders as opposed to conversions of earlier muzzleloaders. Although a few numbers of Snider, and eventually Martini Henry Rifles made their way to the Arab tribes of Morocco, it was the Remington that showed up in the largest numbers. The Sultan of Morocco, Mawlay Hassan, along with his successors purchased thousands of these rifles from the Europeans. These eventually filtered across the Atlas Mountains to the Desert fringe tribes, many of which were armed by the Sultan as auxiliaries to the Makhzan (Moroccan government). These auxiliaries usually kept the rifles with which they were issued or sold them to neighboring tribes. This natural supply was significantly augmented by Spanish and British gun runners against whom the Makhzan were notably ineffectual. The Gras stayed in service with the French until 1885 when the Lebel replaced it, and the British similarly progressed from the Martini Henry in 1888. The magazine fed 9 shot Lebel rifle was a significant change for the French. It was built around the French invention of the new smokeless powder and contained a tubular magazine running below and along the length of the barrel. The smokeless powder had the obvious advantages in that clouds of thick white smoke during combat did not obscure the enemy. The other notable and often overlooked advantage of this smaller caliber is the hugely greater grazing zone. It did not take the military powers throughout Europe to realize the advantages of this. With its flatter trajectory, the path at which the bullet travels at the height of a man is much greater that with the more pronounced parabolic trajectory of the slower larger caliber bullets of the preceding rifles. This meant that at greater ranges, the bullet did not rise above head height reducing the element of error previously encountered with inaccurate estimating of ranges. The Lebel was only used by the Arabs in limited numbers and the only way they usually fell into their hands was through successful ambushes and the raiding of supply trains. The other problem was that the Arabs had no way to reload the cartridges as smokeless powder was beyond their manufacturing capabilities. Black powder was imported, but the Arabs also had the ability to manufacture it locally. They reloaded the empty cases, with locally made bullets and made percussive primers out of smuggled gasoline and powdered match heads. These were undoubtedly inferior to European factory ammunition but sufficed when it was not available. By the 1880's there was no real reason for a warrior to continue to carry a flintlock riffle unless he wanted to. At the turn of the century the Remingtons and other breach loading rifles and a few repeaters were available in huge numbers despite the fact that selling anything to the Arabs other than flintlocks was forbidden by the French in Algeria. A magazine fed rifle that did make its way to Morocco in notable numbers was the Winchester repeating rifle. This American firearm was easy for the Arabs to reload for. A French study of firearms in the frontier region produced the following results in 1894 concluding that the Remington model rifle was the most available rifle in the region.

Tribe	Remington	Gras	Lebel
Bani Gil	4,000	200	20
Awlad Jarir	150	30	3
Figuig Population	350	20	5

Figuig, which consisted of five kasars was surveyed again in 1900 and in just one of the kasars examined counted 800 Remingtons, 35 Martini Henry's, 18 Chassepots, 47 Lebels and 75 other repeating models of various manufactures. Also found in the region were Mausers, Spensers, Lefaucheux and Kropatschek rifles. The Kropatschek was a temporary diversion in French firearm development and was used almost exclusively by the French Marines in Africa. It was a tubular magazine repeater that was very similar in feed mechanism to the Lebel but it used the larger caliber black powder round. It was in fairly limited used by 1878 but was soon to be replaced by the Lebel. In conclusion the firearms trade in the late nineteenth century was sufficient to supply any warrior with a breech loading rifle and some with repeating rifles. The predominant weapon was the rolling block Remington Rifle. Large numbers of pistols and revolvers were also in large circulation. A French study in 1905 stated that the nomadic tribes of the Tafilalt region were well armed with modern weapons but that flintlock muskets were still to be found in the kasars. When the opposition to the French invasion was at its height between 1900 and 1912 the arms trade flourished throughout Morocco. The raiding of the French controlled zones produced more and more rifles for the tribes, as did the transferring of Makhzan garrison troops in Tafilalt and Figuig. Despite the ubiquitous breech loading rifles, the technology gap between the Moroccan tribes and the French invaders was never narrowed. They still had relatively few repeaters and apart from the odd captured trophy, no machine guns and portable artillery pieces. These were to prove to be the decisive battle winner for every major conflict of the French invasion.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH 1 : MARORI WARS

This is the first in a series of little known or war
gamed colonial battles that I hope you find interesting
and informative.

The New Zealand Wars were generally fought in New Zealand
between 1843 and 1872, though opinion on this time frame
does vary.The 1860s, disputes over questionable land
purchases and the attempts of Marori in the Waikato to
establish what some perceived as a rival British-style
system of royalty led to the New Zealand land wars.
Although these resulted in relatively few deaths, the
colonial government confiscated large tracts of tribal
land as punishment for what they termed as rebellion
(although the Crown had initiated the military action
against its own citizens), in some cases without reference
to whether the tribe involved actually participated in
the warfare. Some tribes actively fought against the Crown,
while others (known as kupapa) fought in support of the
Crown. The British Army pursuit of Hone Heke and Kawati
of Nga Puhi, following their sacking of Kororareka in March,
1845.

North Taranaki War 1860-61:

War broke out in North Taranaki in March 1860. The issue over
which the war commenced was a block of land, called the Pekapeka
Block, now for the most part covered by the township of Waitara
in North Taranaki.

Theopening battle then was fought at Te Kohia, said by James
Belich to be place where New Zealand's `great civil wars of
the 1860s' began.

Further important engagements were fought at Puketekauere,
Mahoetahi, No 3 Redoubt and Te Arei. In the course of this
war, the British Army suffered some setbacks but ultimately
prevailed over Maori. A truce was signed at Te Arei Pa in
1861.

Invasion of the Waikato 1863-64:

The defining war of the New Zealand Wars. Massive British
Army invasion in July 1863 of the Maori King's avowed home
area, the Waikato. Skirmishing at Koheroa and Meremere
followed by a major engagement at Rangiriri. With Rangiriri
taken, the British Army pushed south, ultimately defeating
Waikato and allies at Orakau in 1864. Maori King Tawhiao
fled west, and took refuge amongst Ngati Maniapoto in dense
bush country later known as the `King Country'.

Two of the best manufactures for 15mm Maori warriors are:

The Wildly Inspired Miniatures range includes:

NZ02 Maori with Hatchet
NZ15 Maori with Tupara
NZ16 Maori with Carbine
NZ17 Sub Chief with Mere
NZ18 Sub Chief with Hatchet
NZ21 Maori with Mere
NZ22 Maori with two handed Axe
NZ23 Maori with Musket
NZ24 "Friendly" Maori with Musket (he has a European style
jacket and a bayonet fixed to his musket)
NZ25 Rangatira
NZ26 Rangatira with Spear
NZ29 Rangitira in European Clothes
NZ41 Hone Heke 1845
NZ43 Maori with with hatchet and Shotgun

The Wildly Inspired Miniatures are similar to the old Minfigs
in both size and animation. They are also quite similar in
detail, while not as high as some of the newer lines out there,
they are serviceable and in good variety.


M.Y. Miniatures former Table Top figures

Maori Native New Zealanders.

M01 Command
M02 Warband
M03 Shotguns and muskets
M04 Later Command

The M.Y. Miniatures Maori are sold in packs of 8 foot for
£1.75p per pack. These are quite nicely detailed and very
clean castings. The animation on this line is also quite
good and paint up well with little preparation.

Irregular Miniatures also has a small 15mm Maori collection.
As is customary with Irregular they have several variations of
each figure listed that are supplied randomly.

FZ73 Maori Infantry charging with hand weapon
FZ74 Maori Infantry standing or kneeling with rifle
FZ75 Maori Chief

Again Irregular Miniatures seems (to me at least) to harkens
back to the old Minifigs or Laming style of sculpting its
miniatures, where they were considered innovative was in
offering the variations. The quality control in their
manufacture is not top notch by any means, you may get
deformities in your order so be warned. With that said, they
do mix in with Wildly Inspired Miniatures quite well.

Other Useful Items:
Stronghold Miniatures sells by Village Green in their 15mm
Ships/Boats line ( D9 )Kymer/cham./fantasy boat and (D10)
Kymer cham. Admirals/Chieftains warboat. Both are excellent
little craft and give your Maori something to raid in.

Wildly Inspired Miniatures
*Web Page Down*

M.Y. Miniatures
http://www.geocities.com/mickyarrowminiatures/

Irregular Miniatures
http://www.irregularminiatures.co.uk/

Stronghold Miniatures
http://www.stronghold-miniatures.co.uk/html/main.html

Disney Nautilus

Research Publications on the
Disney Nautilus

These publications are excellent sources for researching
the Disney style Nautilus. Starting from 1954 until present -
all the major articles featuring the Nautilus are listed here.
Many of the magazines are on-line. Click the book icon and
read them on your screen.

http://www.disneysub.com/index.html

Airship Battle

This is a must see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpA9nb8fKZU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emrnizz%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F2007%5F04%5F01%5Farchive%2Ehtml

Imperial Naval High Command Announcement:

The Admiralty from Naval Headquarters in Osaka
announced the laying down the keel of a new
class of Steel Ram/Gunboat entitled the Shu-Swee
with the first of the class being scheduled for
completion within a month.Equipped with a ram,
3.5 inch gun, torpedoes and two machine-guns.
the IJNS Shu-Swee (lead ship in class) will be
deployed in the Formosa Strait.






Building notes:

I found in the junk /bits box the underside of a
Submarine hull that is the perfect shape for a
waterline Iron ram model. Just had to add a deck
gun and pilot house along with two torpedoes and
machine-guns.

James

http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaigun.htm

Islamic Tribes Stirring

All across the northern deserts from the Italian and French
to the Spanish colonies various Islamic tribes are raiding into
the settled colonial areas. These attacks do not appear to
be random, and seem to be supported by some outside agency.

Lion Of The Desert

This epic historical film tells the story of
Libyan guerrilla leader Omar Mukhtar,
who struggled to stop Benito Mussolini's
invading army from seizing control of his
country. Mussolini ordered General Rodolfo
Graziani and his troops to destroy the
Bedouin's rebellion but the Fascists weren't
counting on the determination and skill of
the Arab fighters. The Libyans engaged in
a long and deadly war, which lasted from
1911 to 1931.

Jackson Gamers' Colonial Game: Capture the guns!

15mm Boer War game run by Jay Stribling at HOBBYTOWN in Flowood MS on June 30th, 2007. The Boers have aqquired one or more very long ranged field guns. They are shooting at trains along the railway line. It is up to the British players to make a sweep of this area and find that gun or guns. They must destroy or capture that artillery.

http://www.angelfire.com/games3/jacksongamer/Boer_2.htm

Colonial Italian Forces

28mm Cannon Fodder Miniatures Regular Infantry painted by Red Shadow
15mm Old Glory Italian Bersaglieri from their Boxer rebellion line.
Painted by Tim at (minipaintr) ebay



Italian Askari, actually 15mm late Colonial Egyptians of various
manufactures. Painted by Mike at (krieg572 ) ebay


I'm having some Colonial British done up by Haley at (Turbil
Miniatures) like the regulars by Cannon Fodder Miniatures
shown above.

Mechanical Man: Boilerplate

Boilerplate was a mechanical man developed by Professor Archibald Campion during the 1880s and unveiled at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.Built in a small Chicago laboratory, Boilerplate was originally designed as a prototype soldier for use in resolving the conflicts of nations. Although it was the only such prototype, Boilerplate was eventually able to exercise its proposed function by participating in several combat actions. In the mid-1890s, Boilerplate embarked on a series of expeditions to demonstrate its abilities, the most ambitious being a voyage to Antarctica. Boilerplate is one of history's great ironies, a technological milestone that remains largely unknown. Even in an age that gave birth to the automobile and aeroplane, a functioning mechanical man should have been accorded more significance.

http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/index.html

Torchwood Institute

While the series is placed in today's world The
Torchwood Institute was formed by her majesty,
And should therefore be explored!

The Torchwood Institute is a fictional organisation from the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series,
Torchwood.It was founded by Queen Victoria to research and combat
alien threats to Great Britain, and use their findings to make the British
Empire great again. To those ends, it acquires and reverse engineers
alien technology by any means deemed necessary. According to its
director Yvonne Hartman, its nationalist attitude extends to refusing to
use metric units.

While described as "beyond the United Nations", they are known to
cooperate with UNIT to some extent. There appears at present to be
some sort of rapport with the PrimeMinister although historically this
may not always have been the case. To those that have come in contact
with Torchwood, they are primarily believed to be a special forces team.
They appear to maintain this illusion by using false witnesses or by
sectioning any journalists who threaten to expose the truth, and via the
use of memory altering drugs.Following a major incident involving the
Institute, the stance of the organisation becomes much less
confrontational and secretive.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/index_nonflash.shtml

Dr Grordbort's Infallible Aether Oscillators & other Marvellous Contraptions!

Another goodie from Yours in a White Wine Sauce!


An incredible website, selling all manner of revolutionary equipment including the latest in steam powered rayguns, including the MANMELTER 3600ZX Sub-Atomic Disintegrator Pistol and the GOLIATHON 83 Infinity Beam Projector.

Even if you arent in the market for the latest in death ray
breaththroughs, you must check this site out!

Also includes a "Bestiary of the Cosmos" section with the latest
zoological discoveries, including the Vesuian Double Backed Shrovel
and the Mountain Meat Beetle.

http://www.wetanz.com/holics/index.php?catid=4

BLAST those Pesky Tribesmen :by The Jackson Gamers

This one reminds me of Gabriel Landowski's The Relief to Malakand

BLAST those Pesky Tribesmen

Once again the machinations of the wily Pathans set Indo-Afghan frontier ablaze. Who are the men who can put down these uppity tribesmen? None other than Lord Sterling and his trusty imperial troops. Recently seconded from the Sudan, can the British officers make the mental changeover necessary to fight the Pathans. Will the evil Khan Abbis be frightened into submission, or will the drums of war sound along the frontier?

http://www.angelfire.com/games3/jacksongamer/nor_cent01.htm