The Farm Rendezvous - A Red Planet Adventure

North West Frontier, Mars, 31st October 1891. The Offices of the London Illustrated News Overseas Reporting Team.

Aether Correspondent, Archibald Harris-Hampton reporting back on a chance encounter with the mysterious Sky Martians...

A supply run to a newly established British outpost in the deep desert many miles North of New Victoria encountered hostile action from what can only be assumed to be the local Sky Martians...

Market stalls

In order to make our Martian settlements look inhabited some market stalls were in order. Just the one for now as it's a test for further versions but it turned out quite successfully.

The first thing to do was to make the frame for the canvas. The frame and canvas is a recurring theme throughout City Martian architecture (although I've yet to add canvasses to most of the completed terrain).

Once the frame was made the base was textured and painted as it would be easier to do this now rather than when the canvas was in place. A start was made on the merchandise table.This used some readily available 'goods' from various sources but the idea is to design something for the City Martians specifically and have them for sale.

Once the goods and table were painted I added the canvas using industrial white towel (an over the top name for some thick tissue) and gave it a wash of watered down pva and ink. It was given a quick drybrush once stuck in place and the vendors sign was made from paper and stuck on the front. A start has also been made on a larger stall and soon I'll also have several more on the go as they will help populate the City Martian settlements.

Here are the photos of the finished article. I forgot to take some pictures with a human figure next to it as it's quite large because our Martians are a good 35mm tall.

The Japanese Army on Mars

The Japanese were the first to arrive on Mars following their successful implementation and improvement of aether technology gained from an undiscloased source. Shortly after them, the British landed and started their expansion and alliance with the Japanese.

New Victoria for many is the principle human city on Mars but the Japanese have also established their own enclave of Shin Kyoto. Simpler in form than New Victoria it has taken the shape of Martian sand banks with ramparts behind and a simple dry moat to the front. Various gun embrasures are dotted along the circumference and these are of various calibers; placed because of the Sky Martian threat. This threat appears to be less than the threat on New Victoria, possibly because of the more understated size of Shin-Kyoto.

 

The main advantage Japan has over the other nations is their large and expanding aeroneff fleet and the support to go with them. Various designs of neff are in the Japanese fleet including, but not limited to, armoured gunboats, torpedo cutters, destroyers and larger armoured corvettes. Many smaller support craft have also been constructed on Mars in recent months allowing Japanese expeditions to range further and further.

The first soldiers to arrive were from the recently formed Imperial Guard but these were soon added to by conscript forces from 1873 onwards. At this moment in time there are two full regiments on Mars to date with five cavalry squadrons and an artillery regiment with various engineers, medics etc. More soldiers are due in the next supply run from earth to help bolster Japanese interests.

The more recent arrivals from earth have been issued with summer uniforms; basically white made from a lighter material to help with the high temperatures experienced on Mars. Quite often, earlier and later units will be mixed together on expeditions and also more recent supply runs have meant that some units are having to wear a mix of winter and summer uniforms so the army can be quite a colourful affair. The Japanese high command are also looking at khaki uniforms but nothing much has been done about this as of yet.

The Japanese cavalry are looking to use the local Martian mounts, as getting remounts from Earth is a long process. Training these larger beasts is proving to be problematic at best as they are temperamental towards humans, the reason is yet to be ascertained. Special saddles are being designed due to the nature of the Martian mounts skeletal structure but should prove efficient when complete. Using the Martian mounts will help enormously with long range patrols as they are perfectly suited for the Martian terrain and weather.

The Japanese engineers have managed to set up a good armoury and foundry and are already starting to produce ordinance and artillery on Mars although raw metals in the vicinity of Shin Kyoto are scarce. This scarcity means that patrols deep into Sky Martian territory are becoming a necessity and large, armoured convoys are becoming a common sight on Mars.

The Abandoned Supply Depot AAR

A small scouting force of Japanese had been dropped of by a passing Great Martian Railway express train in the hope of finding out the situation regarding the supply depot.

The Japanese advanced into the compound to assess the situation but to the surprise of the commander there was what appeared to be the Princess Imperial in amongst the City Martian animal pens.

It however turned out to be a trap as a mix of unruly looking individuals were seen moving through cover towards the compound.

The band of 'ruffians' started to approach the compound firing their weapons whilst the Japanese took cover behind the barricades. The Japanese commander, being mounted, manoeuvred his horse outside the protection of the compound in an attempt to out flank the attackers.

Unfortunately, a Sky Martian in the service of earth got into the compound and proved too mighty an opponent for the defenders allowing more of the, what can only be assumed, GMTC to approach the compound and press the attack.

With the Japanese commander down, the head ninja Igo Yugo missing, presumed dead and the compound breached it was time for the Japanese to withdraw with what survivors they could muster and attempt to return to New Victoria and report back.

 The below photograph is the last known image taken of Igo Yugo, his whereabouts are still unknown; along with the fate of the Princess Imperial...

Diary of Archibald Harris-Hampton...

It would seem that this Great Martian Trading Company are going to great lengths to disrupt the status quo on Mars. What nefarious purposes do they have in mind and what will be the outcome of these seemingly random events.

Only  time will tell...

Game was played using Wiley Games Galactic Heroes and Tales of Horror rules with suitable VSF alterations by us. Available from HERE

The Abandoned Supply Depot - A Red Planet Adventure

North West Frontier, Mars, 28th October 1891. The Offices of the London Illustrated News Overseas Reporting Team.

Aether Correspondent, Archibald Harris-Hampton reporting on a surprising development along the New Victoria main branch line.

Unconfirmed reports of the lack of contact from one of the Japanese supply depots meant a small expedition was sent out to investigate; and either confirm or deny the rumours...

Some generic Martian terrain

I have been working on some new terrain to fight over in our expanding Mars campaign. Just some simple mesa and a low level railway.

The mesa are quite simple builds. I started off by cutting up cork bark to the right sort of shape and filling in the small gaps with scraps and sticking the whole lot on a hardboard base. Ready mixed wall filler was applied to the bases and tops of the mesa to fill any remaining gaps and create a slightly uneven surface. Sand was applied to all the top surfaces of the mesa and base and once this was dry the whole thing was given a wash of watered down Windsor and Newton burnt sienna ink. After a day or so, I worked up through the Foundry ochre triad to get the desired reddish hue. This is the same process as shown for the temple earlier and pretty much for most of the Mars terrain.

The next bit of terrain was a low level railway (saves getting the viaduct out all the time). A very simple build which consists of a hardboard base, 5mm foamboard on top cut with a slight chamfer and then filler and sand applied on top but being careful to avoid the sleepers that are stuck on the foamboard. Same colours as before and a bit of ‘dry’ grass tufting here and there. I have a jig to lay the rails down and the rails are simple 'i' beam styrene extrusion that don't even need painting please excuse the feet in slippers).

I also got a small, simple derrick completed to add a bit of a different type of scatter terrain. After looking at some suitable railway model photos online the construction was begun with a simple balsa frame and mechanism. The arm of the crane also rotates. The balsa was given a watered down ink wash and brought up again with some subtle drybrushing. The base was completed in the usual way.

There will be some more terrain for Martians at some point in the near future so watch this space.

Martian Burial Sites and Rituals. Part Two

Following recent expeditions into the areas around New Victoria and the discovery of new tombs that have recently been uncovered by storms, we can now continue the treatise on Martian burial rituals.

As we have previously discovered, the City Martians have rites and burials not unsimilar to ancient Egyptian practises. A recent expedition into one of the sealed tombs has allowed a more detailed study of the interiors. Each generation has a ‘level’ of the tomb with the oldest one being the first and newer ones interred further underground; why this is the case has not yet been ascertained.

The layout of a ‘typical’ level of a tomb consists of a main chamber and several side chambers. The main chamber usually contains another processional way of columns that help to support the ceiling/roof above leading to what we are calling a ‘generational alter’. This alter would appear to be the repository for the deceased possessions that were included with the funeral although none have been entered to confirm this. The side chambers contain the sepulchres of the family members, usually plain and unadorned unless that particular family member had achieved something of note for the clan.

There are usually several side chambers per level containing a generations worth of the dead numbering around ten to twelve. Females are interred on the left and males on the right with one per chamber running parallel to the processional way. Ebenezer Von Stypher-Dyke is currently researching this and we hope to gain some answers from him in the near future.

Steps down to the next level are behind the generational alter and are wide enough to allow the procession to proceed unhindered. The steps sweep round so the next level is underneath the one above and this 'switchback' method continues down and down throughout the generations. New chambers and levels are cut out of the bedrock when the last member of the last generation has passed over. Sand from the surface is spread over the floor of the chambers and the most amazing thing is the use of glowing gems in the ceilings which when torches and electric lights are extinguished the chamber gives the impression of being out in the open at night. It's most breathtaking.

Although of course to our knowledge none of the gems have been taken, their use would prove most useful as they appear to be permanently alight but where they are found has yet to be discovered and the City Martians which we have good contact with are reticent to tell us where the are located.