Martian VSF Game - 10/22/11

Participated in a large VSF game today at The Game Matrix. Mark W. hosted a Martian game using his modified TSATF rules. He and several others had brought so many cool figures, I didn't need to use the Japanese forces I brought. The scenario had a British steam tank broken down on the far end of the table, with several units of supporting infantry, and a supposed rescue unit of the majority of British forces coming on the opposite end. All British forces started with figures on the table. The Martians, with German allies, came on the board on blinds. Dave S. and I ran the British with the broken down tank. There was over a dozen players and things got really busy after a few turns. It was a long day, but good times. I didn't really know what was going on in the center, where all of the heavy action was going on, but it seemed like the Martians were getting the upper hand. Here are a few  photos I took - you may want to put on sunglasses.

I ended the day with a final charge into a German machine gun team, and ended up destroying them. Not a bad way to end the game.

During the game, Adrian and I discussed the possibility of using Sharp Practice for a smaller VSF type game using my Japanese and a still-to-be painted Martian forces he bought from Dale M. today. We might even host a small game at Enfilade! next May. Speaking of Dale, you can visit his website for many more photos of this game. Anyway, the game has rekindled interest in VSF/Steampunk - something I know very little of.

Victorian (Meiji?) Sci Fi/Steampunk Airship

Thanks to a recent TMP post about a VSF airship, I'm thinking of converting a toy airship into something to carry my Boxer Rebellion/RJW figures. I think the toy has something to do with Yugio cards or toys. I salvaged it out of my neighbor's garbage when I stationed in Korea some years ago. No, I didn't dig into their trash or anything like that. We shared a common trash can area and it was sitting on top of their trash bin. This was about six or seven years ago, and the thing has been collecting dust in a closet ever since.

Here it is next to a couple of 25mm Old Glory Boxer Rebellion Japanese troops.

It actually opens up - that's a latch on the side of it. I think I'll remove the top and bottom pieces. Then I'll have to construct some sort of gondola below it to carry figures. There was a really cool-looking VSF airship displayed at a local convention here several years ago. I believe it's the same one in the picture posted by Micman in the TMP link above.

Here are a few illustrations of VSF/Steampunk airships that I quickly found on the internet.

This one has some potential ideas that may be incorporated into the project.

I should mention that I've never played VSF before, although there is a big following here in the local area. I've even passed up quite a few games recently. I will need to get into one of these games soon.

UPDATE: The top portion of the ship has been removed. Although it looks like a nice deck for weapons systems, most of the VSF airships appear to be clean on top. The hinges were sawed off from the starboard side. Bluefoam, or something similar, will be added and shaped to have the lines flush where the two items have been removed.

 Upside down, it looks like a pretty fat submarine.