French Foreign Legion finished

My unit of Foundry French Foreign Legion in Mexico is now finished.  They are for my VSF project, which I have described earlier in this post and the following one.

I’m quite pleased with the overall campaign look of these guys.  And there is no doubt that foundry miniatures are some of the ‘fun-est’ figures to paint, with their exaggerated poses and caricaturish faces.

My next job will be to kit-bash some of those wonderful little Bandai ‘Steamboy’ toys posed behind the figures in this photo.  They’ll become the Foreign Legion’s automated weaponry.

French Foreign Legion for VSF (2)

The whole crew so far – the four newest on the right.

Capitaine Danjou with the secret weapon – no, I don’t know what it does, either.

The first two officers I painted.

Four new legionaires join my small force.

The infernal gun tractor.

Sergeant Morzycki at the controls of the gun tractor.

Slow progress, but I’ve finished painting four more of my Foundry French Foreign legion filibusters for my embryo VSF project.  Click on any of the pictures above to see larger versions.

I’ve followed the example on the Foundry website of painting some in red trousers, and some in white. Along with the various attire, this gives a real campaign look.

The basing is not yet done – I’ll save that for when all the figures are painted, so I can do it in one messy operation.

Oddly, the running legionaire with the red trousers is not shown in the illustration of this particular pack on the Foundry website. I’m not sure if it was a mistake that he was added to the pack, but he is a welcome recruit to my small force.

I’ve posed one of the legionaires as if he is controlling one of my Bandai gun tractors. Although the tractor is in actual fact scaled for about 15mm figures, I think it looks OK as a small vehicle in 28mm. As there is no room for a 28mm crew behind the gun shield, I’ll convert the cannon into a gatling gun, connected to the driver’s position by guitar string conduits with which he can fire remotely.

The driver will sit at the back where I currently have just put a standing figure. I’ll need to find a plastic figure that I can convert into a seated driver. Possibly a Perry American Civil War figure will do the trick, but I’m not going to splash out on a whole box to buy just two figures (I have two gun tractors to add drivers to). So if anyone has a couple of spare figures they can sell me, please let me know!

French Foreign Legion for VSF

After quite a long pause, I’ve at last lifted a paintbrush again and begun work on some French Foreign Legion characters for my embryonic Victorian Science Fiction force to do battle against Colonel O’Truth’s British and Scott’s Prussians/Zendarians.  So here are my first two painted figures, though they are yet to have their basing done.  They’re standing alongside their Bandai steam caterpillar gun.

It took me a long time to choose which VSF force I was going to do: French, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, Orientals …?   Though, in reality, it was always the French who beckoned, with their dapper uniforms and Napoleon III beards.

The problem was I just couldn’t find a range of 28mm late-19th century French who conveyed that particular Gallic look I was after.  The only range that got anywhere close was Mirliton, but they had limited poses, and when I tried ordering some to check them out, the postage from Italy to New Zealand was just too horrendous to contemplate.

So I settled on the French Foreign Legionaries in Foundry’s range of Western figures.  While they don’t quite capture the exact look either, they are so character-filled in other ways that I thought they would be delight to paint.   Just look at the panache of these (still unpainted) guys in the picture below.

Why are these figures found in a Western range?  Well, they represent the force who were send to Mexico in the 1860s as part of ill-fated ‘Maximilian Adventure’ to place a Hapsburg emperor on the Mexican throne.  This campaign was the scene of one of the Foreign Legion’s finest hours—the last stand at Camarone.

In fact, the first (and so far only) figures I’ve painted from the Foundry range are models of two of the heroic officers from that siege, Capitaine Jean Danjou and Sous-Lieutenant Napoléon Vilain.

On 30 April 1863 a small infantry patrol led by Capitaine Danjou was attacked and besieged by a force that may have eventually reached 2,000 Mexican infantry and cavalry.  They were forced to make a defensive stand at the nearby hacienda of Camarone.  The stalwart conduct of the defence has lent the Legion a certain mystique—and Camarone became  synonymous with bravery and a fight-to-the-death.

However, as I mentioned above, my force isn’t intended as a historical representation of the French Foreign Legion at Camarone, but as a totally fictional VSF force.   I’m sure I’ll be able to come up with some sort of cover-story why a force fighting British and Prussians seems to have an affection for wearing Mexican sombreros and serapes!

VSF steamtroopers

Here are the last of the Bandai VSF models I got in a parcel from Japan recently, all based on the anime movie Steamboy.

While these two steamtroopers look huge in my pics, from the stills I’ve seen of the movie I gather they are actually armoured suits worn by human soldiers.   But as they dwarf my 28mm figures,  they’ll have to be larger steam-powered automatons, even though their construction is possibly a bit too human – for example, the cloth breeches visible below the leg armour.  They don’t come with weaponry either,  so that is another issue that I’ll have to deal with.

It’ll be interesting to see how these steamtroopers work in the movie.  And I won’t have too long to wait, because last night I managed to buy the Steamboy  DVD off the New Zealand online auction site, Trademe.  I hope to have it in my hands sometime next week.

This brings me to an end of showing off the various VSF goodies that I received.  Here is a picture of all of them together, so you can get an idea of the differing scales (click on the picture for a much bigger view):

Now I just have to decide on the nationality of the VSF army for which these machines will form the armoured core.  My favourite Victorian-era uniforms are the dandified French in their baggy red trousers, epauletted coats and jaunty kepis.  However, despite intensive internet searching, I haven’t found a range I like.

Another  option might be the Austro-Hungarians.  I kind of like the idea of the creaky old double eagle empire.  And North Star do have a very nice range of 1866 figures.  Their uniforms are still nice enough, especially with the sky-blue trousers – but overall I do still prefer the gaudy French uniforms.

I could also have them as 1840s British, as I already have sufficient Empress Miniatures figures in my New Zealand Wars army.  The advantage is, of course, less cost, because I  already own them.  But the 1840s period is really just a little too early, plus one of my opponents is already doing the colonial British (another is doing Prussians, so that puts them off my radar too).

Anyway, it is a decision I can defer for now, because just doing the conversion work on the Bandai toys will probably take me a while yet …

Two too big and too little VSF machines

Today I’m showing off two more of the Bandai VSF machines that came in my packet from Japan, to add to the three others I’ve shown over the last few postings.

First up, here’s what I call by the technical name ‘trainy thing’.  It is a rather weird contraption to say the least.  At the front is a peculiar bogie with road/rail wheels  surmounted by the driver’s chair, behind which is a robot-like vertical boiler with arms.  A raking horizontal boiler leads to the stoker’s cab perched just in front of the huge single driving wheel:

While the trainy thing does look quite impressive in the above photos, it loses its majesty somewhat when you see the model posed beside a 28mm miniature.  In the picture below you can see the difference in scale by the diminutive size of the driver’s chair at the front of the vehicle :

So, what to do with such a difference in size?  Well, the picture below shows how well-known VSF and fantasy wargamer ‘Skrapwelder’ has used the machine as a kind of gun carriage for a tesla weapon.    The gunner kneels behind the upright boiler that powers the weapon attached above the single wheel.  I could do something similar.

The next vehicle from the packet poses the opposite problem.  This power unicycle with one large wheel  is far too large for a 28mm figure.  Check out the size of the saddle and the distance to the pedal on the larger cogwheel:

I’m going to experiment with a 28mm cavalryman or motorcycle rider  of some sort to see if it’ll still work, especially if I just chop off the pedals (why would it need pedals anyway?).  Alternatively, I could make some sort of swinging cabin inside the wheel – or even slung between two of the unicycles, as  I’ve got two of this model.  Any other ideas?

Finally, here is an anime music video that is set to a chase-scene from Steamboy featuring both these particular vehicles:

In case you want to know, the music is Il Treno Va by Toto Cutugno.  I like its ‘chuffy-ness’ – just right for VSF!

And, yes, there’s still another VSF goodie left to show off in my next posting …

Bathysphere time? Another VSF goodie …

I’m not sure what this VSF machine from the Japanese anime movie Steamboy is. It was amongst the goodies in my previously mentioned parcel of Bandai VSF toys from Japan.

I suspect it is some sort of bathysphere designed to plunge the ocean deeps. But despite diligent searching in Google Images, I haven’t located a Steamboy still that shows this machine in action, to be certain of its purpose.  The nearest I’ve found is this:

Anyway, a bathysphere won’t be much use in a VSF wargame.  So I’m thinking  I might make it into some sort of flying machine by adding a large rotor on top,  or suspending it from a balloon.  Then it can rain destruction on my enemies.

Anyway got any other ideas for it?

Keep watching … more VSF goodies yet to come!

More VSF goodies from Japan

As hinted in last night’s post, there were a few more VSF goodies in my recent parcel from Japan. These steam-powered self-propelled artillery, for example.

I mentioned yesterday that all these VSF goodies derive from a movie (anyone guess which one?) – so here are a couple of stills of the steam artillery in action (don’t forget to click on these pics to enlarge them):

There’s only one problem with this particular model – it’s rather small:

However, other wargamers have converted these to fit with 28mm figures. They’ve raised the boiler higher above the tracks, used the existing gun platform as the drivers seat overhanging the rear, and scratch-built a larger gun platform overhanging the front. Overall, they’ll look less imposing than in the movie, less tank-like and more akin to a WW2 Bren Gun Carrier – but nevertheless, very useful and characterful vehicles.

Here’s one last look:

Keep checking back over the next few days, as the packet contained even more VSF goodiness to be shown off!

Colonial VSF robot – first peek

In the historical colonial New Zealand Wars game I played yesterday, my militia reinforcements never made it onto the table. Maybe that was lucky for my opponent, because here we see the secret punch the Hutt Militia might have been able to bring to the battle!

This is just a sneak peek of my very first Victorian Science Fiction miniature all the way from Japan, straight out of the packet. All I’ve added (for now) is the wisp of smoke. I’m mulling over idea on how to super-detail this beauty.

More information and pictures in due course of some other devilshly cunning steam machinery that came in the same parcel from Nippon …

A Victorian Science Fiction conundrum

The other evening myself and some pals met with Colonel O’Truth to view (finally) his magnificent Victorian Science Fiction (VSF) creations that have caused so much interest on various wargaming fora in recent months (that’s the Colonel and some of his magnificent machines in the picture above – click the pic for a closer look).

The Colonel has been trying to exhort Scott, Greg and myself to take up VSF gaming with GASLIGHT rules. So far, while interested, I haven’t fully engaged with the idea. But seeing the Colonel’s models up close and personal the other night, the interest is getting a little more intense! After all, to start with all I need is 30 figures and a machine or two. Surely that’s manageable, isn’t it?!

I’m dithering like mad on what VSF force to do, though. Up till now I’ve been vaguely inclined towards French, but I just can’t find a range of 28mm French figures that really ‘does it’ for me.

My criteria are:

1. a real 19th century French ‘look’ (this doesn’t necessarily mean realism, but something more indefinable, with posing, character and panache that match what I *imagine* when I think of late 19th century French!);
2.  lots of active poses (ie not a range of packs of duplicated figures; and doing more than just marching);
3. excellent sculpting (again, somewhat indefinable – but for me this means a little bit chunky, good features and detail, no awkward arms, clean looking casting);
4. red trousers. Oh yes, definitely red trousers!

OK, so I’m not asking for much, am I?

So what have I found so far?

• If the ‘Foundry’ filibuster French Foreign Legion weren’t so Mexican-ish, I’d go for them, as they otherwise meet my criteria.
• ‘Artizan’ are almost there for me, but not quite.  Maybe if I see their latest figs when the pics arrive on their site?
• ‘Mirliton’ almost match, especially with the French ‘look’, but are a little slim and gawky by the website.
• ‘Askari’ – for me the website photos don’t enthuse me, even though the subject matter looks good.
• And ‘Perry’ have otherwise perfect legionnaires in their Carlist range, but a little bit too early in the century for me – though I am tempted.

Any other options out there for VSF French?

Or are there any other late 19th century nations which fit my criteria (though possibly not red trousers!).  Other than British, Prussian or Bavarian, Chinese and Japanese, which my pals are already taking.

PS: If ‘Empress Minatures’ made French, then they’d be perfect, as I love their NZ Wars range.  Actually, I have toyed with  doing a Māori VSF force with flying waka (inticately carved and decorated war-canoes) and a floating pa!

A VSF machine built in five minutes flat

In a fit of jealousy concerning my mate Colonel O’Truth’s steam walker ‘Gargantua’, I decided I needed a Victorian Science Fiction machine as well.

But I didn’t take half a year to build mine – I did it in five minutes flat!  And the rivet count was nil!

So, may I present the latest contraption to join the fleet – Her Majesty’s Clockwork Walker ‘Gigantor’!

She .. er he .. er it … is armed with a top-secret Marconi Navel Radio-Wave Disintegrator on the waist compartment.  The eyes are actually Acme Patent Disappearing Rocket Launchers.

HMCW “Gigantor” is made from one tin-plate toy robot, a French Napoleonic limber, a gun swabber, a ship’s crows-nest, some miscellaneous barrels and clutter, and a bit of BluTac to hold it all together.

The picture below shows Marine Lieutenant E. Paul Lett on the ear bridge.

In the picture below, you can see the  ladder that leads to the small red waist disposal hatch, through which Coxwain Elias Smith and Able Landman Elias Jones are going to insert a rocket reload.   Note the spare supplies strapped to the other foot.

OK, yeah – this is just a light-hearted joke. But, hey, now that I look at her … him … it, ‘Gigantor’ has got potential.  A bit of paint detail, some dry-brushing, maybe even a rivet or two – and I’ll have a real VSF model!