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Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => In Her Majesty's Name => Topic started by: Craig on September 05, 2013, 05:04:35 AM

Title: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Craig on September 05, 2013, 05:04:35 AM
In the late 19th century many Fire Brigades are independent contractors. They go around a district selling insurance in the form of their services. If you pay them they put their symbol on your building. When a building catches fire several crews might turn up and most will then leave when they realise it isn't one of their customers.

In some areas competition between the Brigades is very fierce and their service often becomes a protection racket. Some members of the Brigades secretly set fires in the premises of people and businesses that have refused their insurance or who are paid up to a competitor.

The Salamander is by far the largest and most aggressive Fire Insurance Brigade in North London. Its men are more than willing to commit arson, extort 'insurance' payments, rob burning buildings, intimidate other brigades and attack anyone who gets in their way.

The full listing for this company is in the Bonus Materials section of the blog.
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: H.M.Stanley on September 05, 2013, 05:33:07 AM
Sounds like something straight out of Gangs of New York. That applied to this side of the pond too?
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: FramFramson on September 05, 2013, 06:00:11 AM
That's all old hat in any case. Pretty sure I recall Crassus made his hay in almost the exact same way in Rome so many centuries ago!
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Melnibonean on September 05, 2013, 06:56:04 AM
Well, well... And I have a crew of Victorian firemen already painted. They've been waiting for a long while for some reason to take to the gaming table. I just need a steam powered fire cart.
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Poiter50 on September 05, 2013, 07:08:38 AM
Lledo do one? Ebay item 251195178032 .

Well, well... And I have a crew of Victorian firemen already painted. They've been waiting for a long while for some reason to take to the gaming table. I just need a steam powered fire cart.

Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: TimK on September 05, 2013, 10:47:27 AM
Matchbox Yesteryear Y-04 was 1/63 scale 1905 Shand Mason - don't know how it compares to Lledo for size, or if there are any about at a reasonable price.
Tim
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Thunderchicken on September 05, 2013, 11:03:24 AM
Don't forget Westwind are about to release one. Nice model it is too! 
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Conquistador on September 05, 2013, 11:06:28 AM
That's all old hat in any case. Pretty sure I recall Crassus made his hay in almost the exact same way in Rome so many centuries ago!

Some elements of human history are "from the Fall" eternal...

Gracias,

Glenn
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: chantyam on September 05, 2013, 03:59:35 PM
Just when I was going for an original idea of a fire company based on a blast from my TV watching past ...buying 4 1905 Busch Self Propelled Fire Engine's off e-bay (Matchbox YS-43) standing and seated legs from Victoria Miniatures, torsos and heads from Curious Constructs (dress torso /life guard head) and scratching around for suitable "plain" "unarmed" arms to use along with "Fire" axes up this comes  :D saves me writing up some profiles though  :D
 
     





 


Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: The_Beast on September 05, 2013, 04:59:52 PM
I know when I saw the description on TMP, 'gangs' was exact what I was thinking.

> I fear a bit of pilfering would not be considered an opportunity to be missed.
>
> Why am I thinking of the opening scenes of Copper?
>
>    '…most will then leave when they realize it isn't one of their customers.'
>
> But the Salamanders might even 'delay' the contracted lads, just to enhance their own offerings. ;->=
>
> I bring up pilfering because I like the idea of delivery of goods, and whatever brew up might entail.

Of course, the Yard could be trying to put the kibosh on this, or even local constabulary looking for their cut, but I really imagine the Tong or that darn Pharaoh looking for artifacts that our brave fire fighters don't even realize they have.

Doug
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Bullshott on September 05, 2013, 07:04:58 PM
This just had to be done  lol lol lol

Brigade Games do these:

http://www.brigadegames.com/Victorian-FiremenFirefighting-Club-5_p_787.html (http://www.brigadegames.com/Victorian-FiremenFirefighting-Club-5_p_787.html)

EDIT: Unlike these figures, British firemen would probably have worn heavy wool jackets like sailors' p-coats - which isn't really surprising bearing mind that many early firemen were ex-sailors, putting the damage control skills they learnt in the Navy into practice on land.

Although these figures have large fire axes, in practice only a few would have carried such, since you can't use your spare hand or, if you want to use two hands, you can't stick it in your belt. Their main weapon tool for this task in their former lives at sea was the boarding axe - looking exactly the same as a modern fireman's belt axe, but with a haft about 2' (60cm) long - as standard axe in IHMN.
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: The_Beast on September 06, 2013, 03:12:04 AM
"Stop interrupting my Hyborean dreams with your 'facts' and 'figures', man! :P"

Sorry, another quote from TMP on a totally different topic, and yet, so captures the feeling...

Roger, those who want to make sense, maybe take a couple, fill a company with sailors with small axes or buckets or ladders or...

However, we all know that the Salamanders are a different sort. Seeing themselves as the toffs of conflagration control, they carry the largest, most intimidating axes imaginable. Heck, I see them in the finest imported, German(?), heavy fire coats money can buy.

The better to stash 'saved' items...

lol

Sorry, imagination = fevered.

Doug
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Bullshott on September 06, 2013, 07:10:22 AM
"Stop interrupting my Hyborean dreams with your 'facts' and 'figures', man! :P"

Sorry, another quote from TMP on a totally different topic, and yet, so captures the feeling...

Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great idea and since this is VSF anything goes as long as it looks right (remember the comments about Thunderchicken's British artillerymen in RED?).
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Bullshott on September 06, 2013, 07:13:56 AM
Early experimental colour film footage of this company has now been found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6YE4PCRNwc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6YE4PCRNwc)
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: The_Beast on September 06, 2013, 10:24:14 AM
Early experimental colour film footage of this company has now been found:

Oh, yes,  unmistakeably, those are the chaps! A rough and surly bunch they are, no?

And, I hope you understand, my dear fellow, I appreciate corrections and clarifications. Verisimilitude is our noble goal.

Mind you, I'm in no rush to have repainted all my inherited red-coated Brits.  ;)

And, I shamelessly admit it, I will continue to watch, AND ENJOY, Ripper Street.  lol

Again, my thanks, Bullshott.

Doug
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Craig on September 06, 2013, 03:40:03 PM
Early experimental colour film footage of this company has now been found:

"As savage a band of cutthroats and villains as you will find this side of the Euphrates."
Lord Curr 1893
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Thunderchicken on September 06, 2013, 07:48:41 PM
(remember the comments about Thunderchicken's British artillerymen in RED?).


Oh the kerfuffle that caused at Horse Guards!!  I like to be different.  ;)
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Dewbakuk on September 06, 2013, 09:12:14 PM
While the Salamanders are obviously uncouth ne'er-do-wells, I really like the actual Metropolitan Fire brigade uniforms, I considered making some from ACW or British Naval officers. If anyone knows a better source I'm interested :)
The long boots were rare by the end of the 19th Century, so not necessarily needed.

(http://www.victorianlondon.org/professions/firemen.gif)
(http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/Images/MetropolitanFireBrigade.jpg)
(http://www.iotas.org.uk/images-content/Victorian-Firemen-2.jpg)
(http://www.victorian-era.org/victorian-life-2.jpg)
(http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/victorians/clothes/images/fire.jpg)
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Thunderchicken on September 07, 2013, 09:03:19 AM
Dean, I looked into this thanks to another thread back in May and came to the same conclusion. I also thought about using French Cuirassier helmets; quick head swap and a few alterations here and there and Bob's yer Aunt's live-in lover! Job done.

Something like this:

http://www.trocadero.com/stores/101antiques/items/600475/item600475.html 
Title: Re: IHMN: The Salamander Fire Insurance Company
Post by: Dewbakuk on September 07, 2013, 11:02:44 AM
I probably have some of those from the Perry cav I converted. I shall have a look :)