Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => Topic started by: Geudens on 23 June 2008, 02:43:01 PM
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About two years ago I was fortunate enough to find (in a junk shop) a mountain of (OOP, I guess) Mega Bloks stuff including some dragons, medieval siege engines, figures etc. Having spent about 15-20 Euros I went home with a big box, including a host of dragons. There were plenty: I bought some extra for Johan as well...
The little (Lego-like) fantasy-knight figures intrigued me and I painted one up in gunmetal and black to act as a (V)SF robot. However, in the meantime a number of companies have been offering very nice 28mm pulp robot figures, so I bought these to use instead...
Last week I decided it was time to do something once more with the figures lying around, so here goes there tale:
In the mid 1870's Prof. Outfinder was commissioned by the board of one of Britain's largest coalmines to develop a steam powered machine (resembling the outline of a man without a head) able to walk and harvest coal (using its "hands" & tools for digging) deep under the surface of the earth.
After some trial and error, the SPOM (Steam POwered Man) came to be: a steam engine attached to the back of a steel frame with the operator sitting on a stool in the "chest", operating the movement of "body", "arms" and "hands" by a number of levers connected to steam pipes & valves providing the power. The operator's legs and feet fitted in the upper part of the machine's "legs" and "walking" was activated & controlled by pedals placed just above the "knees" of the contraption, inside the upper legs.
This very succesfull piece of engineering attracted the attention of the Royal Engineers who were right then looking for exactly such a machine to assist with the repair of heavy weapons (guns, steamtanks etc) in the field. However, the skeleton form of the SPOM offered no protection at all for the driver and an armoured version (named Steam Powered Armoured Man or SPAM) was designed. Being Victorians, the Army brass wanted the thing to look both fierceful and elegant and gave its armour the looks of a giant engineer figure (to fit in with the troops and scare the living daylights out of the enemy!).
Because of the armour, the operator could no longer see the levers, so the R.E. NCO's (sometimes 2nd Lts) of small stature who were to operate the SPAMs were trained blindfolded in a SPOM untill they got the hang of it.
The SPAM Mk1 was able to "work" with both "hands", but it was crystal clear that even a giant axe would not provide enough protection (even at a short distance). Therefore, the left "hand" was equipped with a steam gun, connected to the steam tank, acting much as a flamethrower (oh, well: "steamthrower"...) in battle. Soon, a giant sabre was designed to fit into the right hand, making the SPAM Mk2 a formidable weapon in both attack and defence.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/geudens_photos/Spam01.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/geudens_photos/Spam02.jpg)
The REAL story now: the model was made of a Mega Bloks knight figure with sword reshaped to look like a sabre. The head was replaced by a victorian one; a 1/48th petrol WW2 petrol drum, a piece of wire and some plasticard tubes and rods were added to represent the steam tank & gun. A nice extra: the sword clicks in place and may be omitted or replaced by e.g. an axe, ànd body and arms of the figure can bend forward or backwards as can be seen here in a melee with a Martian (the SPAM bending backwards to avoid the Martian's strike, parrying with its sword and firing (should be "steaming"...) its gun at the opponent:
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/geudens_photos/Spam03.jpg)
Hope you like it! (since I have several more to make...).
Rudi
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What a great idea. Nice work on making what looks like a suitable suit of steam-powered armor.
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Superb. :) ;D :-* wonderful background story too.
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Thx, guys! :)
Rudi
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SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, and more SPAM (or should that be 'SPAMs' ??) lol Sorry, but that acronym triggered something in me ;)
Great idea. Might work with other LEGO ranges, too....
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:o
That is totally mad and brilliant at the same time!!!
I absolutely love the colour scheme and the pilot.
Instead of the sabre I would have put a "Rutherford's patented armoured umbrella" to project the pilot's exposed head from incoming shells!
Excellent stuff once again Rudi!!!!!
Regards
PM
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:o
That is totally mad and brilliant at the same time!!!
That sums it up pretty well. He's fun!
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:o :o :o o_o o_o o_o :o :o :o lol lol o_o o_o
What more can I say? I am speachless, Now to raid my nephews' toy box
Cheers
Fritzy