Texas Navy Announces First Aether Ship

GALVESTON: The Texas Navy has finally acquired enough aether to begin building the first airship for the Republic.  The airship is still in design phase, below is a photograph of the naval shipwrights desk showing the blueprint design of the new vessel.  The Navy has yet to announce the name of the ship, nor the number of crew involved in it's operation.  Also we can only speculate as to the operational role the airship will have.

VSF Background

A quick summary of my first thoughts for my VSF campaign.  Now I'm not saying that I'm going to make armies or even warbands for that matter on each faction, but they will play a part in politics and intrigue.

Earth Factions
Texas (Loose alliance with the CSA and is currently at peace with the Empire of Mexico.)
USA (Loose alliance with Germany and Russia.  The USA is a rising power.)
CSA (Loose alliance with Texas but heavy dependence on allies of Britain and France.)
Britain (A world superpower.)
Italy
Japan (A rising world power.)
Germany (A world superpower.)
France (A world superpower.)
Russia (A rising world power.)
Turkey
Mexico
Austria-Hungary (A rising world power.)

Xeno Factions
Atlunis (Red Martians, founders of Earth's lost city of Atlantis.)
Hurundi (Green Martians, barbarians, enemies to all.)
Borundi (Blue Martians, nomads, neutral faction but will freely raid where they can get away with it.)
Pafar (Birdfolk Venusians.)
Jafar (Lizardfolk Venusians.)

VSF Campaign: Map of North America circa 1889

First draft of North America for the start of my VSF campaign.  Adventures will circle the globe as well as taking place on the moon, Venus and Mars.

Background:  

America:  U.S. Civil War begins in 1849 and ends in 1853 with a southern victory.  The southern states form the Confederate States of America.  The USA moves forward with expansion in the northwest.  The CSA fights a brief war with Spain for possession of Cuba.  The CSA is eyeing expansion in South America.

Texas:  Texas never joined the union.  The Yucatan joined Texas in 1836 fighting for independence from Mexico with both winning their freedom.  Five years later the Yucatan Republic joins the Republic of Texas.  In 1849 Texas purchased land due west of the republic from the Empire.

Mexico:  Santa Anna died with no heir.  Maximilian of Austria is offered the throne and accepts.  By 1890 Maximilian IV rules an Empire that stretches from the United States to Columbia.

Britain:  The British Empire takes Alaska during the Crimean War.  Grants Quebec semi-autonomy and rules an Empire known now as The British Solar Empire.

Uniform Template: Moden Guard, Huack Royal Army

Royal Army Order 1881.3.16.007 Dress Regulations - Uniform of the Royal Moden Guard.

For those elements of the Royal Moden Guard. The standard khaki Royal Army trench coat shall be issued to all Guards as well.

//signed//

Major General Erik von Falkynhuack

Commandant

Royal Army

Principality of Huack

HOTE Battle: Mafeking Zulus vs. 7th Foot, British Army

Traveled down to Fort Smith today to visit my son James and his bride to be Jessica. We met up for lunch and then headed over to Hawgshead Comics on Greenwood Ave for some Magic CCG games and Hordes of the Empires. Now, I apologize, but I forgot the battlefield and the rules so we had to make due from memory and this was our first go of HOTE all together.

The British Deployment

We each played with 24 points. The British Baggage Camp came from my Duchy of Saxe-Huack SYW Army, but HEY, at least were wargaming and having fun. :)

The Zulu Deployment

The first couple of turns saw the armies advance on the Mafeking plains. Sunlight glitterd off spear points and the air was pierced with the shouting of orders and marching of boots.

In the picture above James sent his Cavalry (Kn) around the hill to attack my left flank in the rear.

Above the Skirmishers followed by the Chief and 2 Warbands advance upon the woods towards the Gatling Gun. I pulled 1 Warband off to stall the Cavalry "coming round the mountain." The action on the right flank is all close order marching to battle.

James knocks out my Skirmishers but this allowed my Warband to close!

The right flank: The British enjoyed volley fire at my Zulus whom sang and danced to intimidate the enemy (low PIPs) before joining in melee.

As the above picture shows I was able to sneak a single Warband into the Baggage Camp but blast the dice the Camp Defenders won!

But next turn it was over (we played this way due to time restraints) the British General took a spear and now has a maggot hole in his belly.

WW1 French Forward Observer

WW1 French Machine Gun & Mortar Team

WW1 French Rifles

Finished these up the other night. I like how they turned out. UPDATE: These guys have been rebased on 40mm frontage with 3 soldiers per base vice 2.

Final Results for 2011

The Pledge
Painted/Purchased
6mm: 59/12
15mm: 121/372
25mm: 27/111
54mm: 2/0

1/72: 0/0
Terrain & Acc: 9/17

Total: 218

Goal: 500

Games Played
Ambush Alley WW2: 2

Clockwork Century: 1
COMBAT WW2: 3

FUBAR: 3

HOTT: 3

Reaper WARLORD: 2

Song Blades&Heroes: 8

Witch's Brew RPG: 1

Dungeoncrawl: 1

Total: 24

Target: 30

Uniform Template - Huack Royal Army

RAO 1880.10.5.001 Dress Regulations - Army Field Uniforms

For all units of the Royal Army, except those of the Moden Guard.

//signed//

Major General Erik von Falkynhuack.

Commandant

Royal Army

Principality of Huack

Huack Army Machine Gunners

Here are the first 2 elements (MG) of the Principality of Huack Royal Army. Also pictured is an element of Moden Guards (on loan from my WW1 German Army.) The MG crews are in their Huack Red uniforms with khaki trench coats.

British Colonial Army

Note the piper!

Artillery, MG and Cavalry on the painting bench.

The Zulu Impi

The Zulu Impi! 2 Generals, 9 Warbands, 2 Skirmishers and 2 dead markers. In the center front we have Chiefs Unga and Bunga. In the rear flanks are the skirmishers with captured British rifles, with one wearing a red service coat. Only 1 of the chiefs will lead the army at a time. Most likely Unga.

French Army General Element

Not quite a French Army but I did manage to paint quite a few figures, mostly Colonials, but I was motivated for the command element of my soon to be WW1 French Army. The kneeling soldier is a junior officer holding a map.

Principality of Huack: First Army General

When Prince Karl signed the Army Act into law creating the Principality's armed forces, he created, Colonel Erik von Falkynhuack, his former commanding officer in the Austrian Army as the first General Officer of the Huack Army, bestowing upon him the rank of Major General. General von Falkynhuack was born in Huack in the village of St. Jamestonia in 1824. Pictured below is a photograph taken just after his promotion ceremony at Fortenbras Palace in Alshirejvo. General von Falkynhuack will assume the role of Army Commandant and will be responsible for the organization, operations and training of the new army. Second only to Prince Karl in the Army's hierarchy.

Also, the rank of Lieutenant General has been replaced with that of Colonel-General. Thought I would publish this before we leave for Lake Degray!

Principality of Huack - Army Officer Rank Insignia

From his palace in Aleshirejvo and addressing the Royal General Staff, Prince Karl approved the following insignia for the Royal Army Officer Corps.

WW1 German Army

This is an army I've always wanted, I am so proud to have it. I have more to add to this army and will post pictures of the muster once completed. Note the artillery barrage and gas cloud markers.

The Nobility of the Balkan Wars between Huack & Turkoslavia, circa 1880.

His Royal Highness Prince Karl Michael Alexander Lothringen, Prince of Huack, Duke of Moden. Born in December 1853 at Castle Moden in Austria, the only child of the Duke and Duchess of Moden. Prince Karl was raised an avid hunter and was educated in Vienna at the Imperial Military Academy. During the Russo-Turkish War the Prince was the Austrian military observer with the Russian army.

His Excellency the Khedive, Mahemed Ali Pasha. The son of a doctor, born in July 1849 in Constantinople. Mahemed joined the Ottoman Navy at an early age. In 1867 he was promoted to junior commander and given command of a patrol boat. By the time of the Russo-Turkish War he was captain of a destroyer on the Black Sea where his daring exploits and military accomplishments earned him the nickname "The Kraken." It was as a reward for his naval service during the war that he was created Khedive of Turkoslavia.

The Congress of Berlin

The Congress of Berlin which ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1877 to 1878 established the Principality of Huack and the Khedivate of Turkoslavia on the southern shores of Lake Hreshta. The Principality of Huack was created an autonomous vassal state of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Khedivate of Turkoslavia an autonomous vassal of the Ottoman Empire.

In Huack, Archduke Karl Michael Alexander Lothringen of Austria was titled Prince and took Castle Huack as his royal court in the city of Alshirejvo. Whereas in Turkoslavia, Mahemed Ali Pasha an Ottoman naval commander, and nephew of the Sultan was crowned Khedive. Immediately both states saw the other as a rival and threat. Before the end of 1879 skirmishes and naval engagements were breaking out between the two small states. Both states are wary of not only each other but their balkan neighbors as well.

The lands of the two kingdoms are prosperous and fertile. Wine, cheese, wool, iron and lumber are the main exports from both. Lake Hreshta as it is known in Huack or Lake Ohrespa in Turkoslavia is fed from the tributaries and creeks of the Danube.

Final Results, The Pledge 2010

Updated: 10.22.10
Painted-Read / Purchased
6mm: 0/166
15mm: 10/235
25mm: 1/82
54mm: 0/0
Scenics/Terrain: 0/2

Total Painted: 11

I hope to accomplish more in regards to my wargaming hobby this year.