Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => Topic started by: Bullshott on March 08, 2015, 01:07:58 PM
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Inspired by Modhail's thread on the Future Wars board (here: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=76207.0 (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=76207.0)) about his 40k space salvage crew, I was wondering about the possibility of boarding actions involving VSF spacecraft.
So what would boarding parties look like and what weaponry would they have access to in a HG Wells inspired post-War of the Worlds timeline where man has gone into space using Martian technology and cavorite? I'm thinking along the lines of a VSF/steampunk version of the 40k armsman concept.
As a starting point, these are some VSF spacesuit 'concept' figures I tried out a while ago using Scheltrum divers:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/10/164_18_05_12_10_54_04_3.JPG)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/10/164_18_05_12_10_54_04_4.JPG)
Based on this idea, I was considering using Meridian Miniatures divers that I obtained under their Kickstarter. But what else is there available that would work as a Victorian-style armsman?
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Brilliant thought sir - hope to see reports of such fights aboard the aether flyers. As there are many companies that produce Victorian era deep-sea divers, the production of different nationalities'/navies' issue aether suits should be feasible.
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Brilliant!!
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...
Based on this idea, I was considering using Meridian Miniatures divers that I obtained under their Kickstarter. But what else is there available that would work as a Victorian-style armsman?
I'm also waiting on those with the possibility of spacemen, though probably will stay submariners.
I really think just about anything with full-face mask, with helmet or cap covering the rest of the head, like the recent redcoats, or second ed Warzone plastics, or Wargames Factory Shock Troops, or..., could be used.
Over paint head parts that look like hair to cloth/rubber/steel, and long sleeves seem a requirement, though.
Doug
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A few other figures that could fit the theme:
http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope/latest/50301
http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope%20diver/latest/50085
Captain nemo : http://www.tin-soldier.com/rpg/nemo2.htm
Deep diver from Tiger Miniatures :
http://www.tigerminiatures.co.uk/page8.htm
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I really think just about anything with full-face mask, with helmet or cap covering the rest of the head, like the recent redcoats, or second ed Warzone plastics, or Wargames Factory Shock Troops, or..., could be used.
Over paint head parts that look like hair to cloth/rubber/steel, and long sleeves seem a requirement, though.
Or replace the heads with separate dive helmets from Meridian Miniatures :)
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Excellent paint job!
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Great Idea! Reminds me of the old "First Men in the Moon" early 1960's movie.
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Good stuff Bullshott
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Good idea :D
cheers
James
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Great idea, Dave.
Proper boarding actions skiff to 'neff should be given consideration too.
;)
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Great idea, Dave.
Proper boarding actions skiff to 'neff should be given consideration too.
;)
Weve got those already. :D
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Weve got those already. :D
And it's f-ing brutal :D
cheers
James
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Weve got those already. :D
Have we seen this already?
Doug
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I haven't. Or at least I don't think I have...
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I haven't. Or at least I don't think I have...
Had you been paying attention at Mini BLAM rather than hiding behind your city walls you would have seen one of the Japanese Neffs get boarded and the crew killed in a most brutal fashion. :D
The rules are pretty simple:
Assuming the boarding vessel has the correct speed on the turn of the activation card the ship attempting to board makes a skill roll for the pilot/rudder man to enable the ship to come alongside and anchor against the target neff/ship.
The figures who are attempting to board make a morale/bottle roll on a D10 to see whether they make the jump onto the target ship. on a roll of a one they miss time the jump and fall to their death, on a 2-4 they hesitate and do not jump, on a 5+ they successfully board and move immediately to hand to hand combat. (Martians only need a 5+ due to their fieldcraft +2 to die rolls, Earthers require 7 + to board.)
Simple really I think the numbers are correct for the die rolls, but you get the general idea. :)
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....on a 2-4 they hesitate and do not jump....
I think the Brits must have rolled a lot of '2's and '3's at mini-BLAM before they plucked up the courage to come down from the safety of the walls.
:D
EDIT: I must apologise as it seems that the Brits were only issued with D3's at the start of the battle......
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I think the Brits must have rolled a lot of '2's and '3's at mini-BLAM before they plucked up the courage to leave the safety of the walls.
:D
lol
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The British forces were tasked with defending the walls, and a sterling job they did too. As evidenced by the fact the Martians were too terrified to close with them!
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The British forces were tasked with defending the walls, and a sterling job they did too. As evidenced by the fact the Martians were too terrified to close with them!
lol
No its coz they were too busy butchering the Japanese lol
PS what are you doing for Salute? (hint, hint) ;)
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Currently my good lady wishes to come to Salute too.
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Easy way for the Japanese (or any other Earthers) onboard large armoured nefs to screw the Martian boarders - as the boarding craft approaches, simply retire into the superstructure of the nef. Even if the boarders break through the doors they will find themselves at a severe disadvantage, with the 2m tall Martians being forced to stoop under the low deck heads (that's ceilings to you landlubbers) and fight in such tight confines that they can't wield their glaives to effect. Also, with all the crew inside the armoured superstructure of the nef, it allows allied nefs to rake the decks with machinegun fire and kill any boarders stupid enough ho hang around.
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Wooden decks don't do a lot to stop bullets and the British ships were the only ones with armoured decks, and only some of those at this point in 'history'.
There's a great report from WW2 about the first British ship to be hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane (going from memory so details may be wrong). The commander of the formation with his American advisor watched as the plane drew a line directly on the centre of one of the ships and dived into his attack. The American turns to the commander and gives condolences on the loss of the ship and lives, the kamikaze slams into the ship and there is a huge explosion. The commander turns to the advisor and asks why they'd do something like that? As hatches on the struck ship swing open and sailors come out with brooms to sweep the plane wreckage over the side and into the ocean.
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Might have to put an armoured deck on the nef frigate I'm considering making ;)
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Might have to put an armoured deck on the nef frigate I'm considering making ;)
...and machineguns positioned for sweeping her own decks!
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Do whatever you like, Dave.
Them cliffs will get you in the end anyway.
:D
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Do whatever you like, Dave.
Them cliffs will get you in the end anyway.
:D
lol
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Have we seen this already?
Sorry, all, I thought you meant a skiff purpose-built, or converted, for boarding actions.
Doug
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Getting this thread back on track and carrying on with my theme of diving suits, I have these to paint up soon:
(https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/002/628/812/729bc7ec8bf87e17873257c5e1c729aa_original.jpg?v=1411491305&w=700&h=&fit=max&auto=format&q=92&s=61da4dc77077a217a0653ea9e748754f)
They look far better 'in the lead' than in this picture - they are very nice sculpts indeed.
My big decision is do I keep these as divers or modify their guns and turn them into more space troops.
What are your thoughts on what a VSF spaceship/high altitude boarding party would look like and what they would be armed with?
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Are you sticking with vacuum in space? If so then swords and harpoons are fine in space. They just have to tear the suits.
The 'bio of a space tyrant' books had a section on space piracy that talked about how the old pirate styles made a return along with swordplay. All it takes to kill is a flick of the wrist and a knicked suit.
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A flick of a finger from a distance and there is a hole in your enemy's suit with not danger to yourself.
Just what guns were made for.
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A flick of a finger from a distance and there is a hole in your enemy's suit with not danger to yourself.
Just what guns were made for.
Firing a gun in zero gravity could be very interesting, though.
;)
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Quick question before I postulate (yes, I now you can get cream for that), are your boarding actions going to be in zero gravity, some gravity, normal gravity or all types?
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There is only gravity in VSF. Can't have any of that floating around nonsense, that's very unBritish!!
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There is only gravity in VSF. Can't have any of that floating around nonsense, that's very unBritish!!
Seconded! ;)
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Firing a gun in zero gravity could be very interesting, though.
;)
Steam ships flying through space and you are wondering if a gun would fire in a vacum and zero gravity?
Are you mad lol lol lol
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Are you mad lol lol lol
Of course.
I wouldn't engage in conversation with you lot otherwise, would I?
;D ;D ;D
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There is only gravity in VSF. Can't have any of that floating around nonsense, that's very unBritish!!
Same here, but wondered what Dave's intentions are.
The divers suite work for me with modified weapons, the closer the range the more fun.
In my opinion there's two ways of looking at VSF. There's the romantic view which follows the ethos of the Victorian fiction writers: an enviable naivety of things such as the atmospheres on other worlds coupled with their predictions of how contemporary technology could be adapted. Some even predicted giant beasties lived in our own stratosphere until it was proven otherwise. This is my kind of VSF, where you can pretty much get away with anything because it's still 1888 and anything goes.
Then there's imposing 21st century values and knowledge on to VSF. Not necessarily a bad thing but not my thing. I get slightly irked when I'm told this contraption wont work because of this or that. I know, but I don't care. I hasten to add I'm not having a pop at anyone, just sharing my perspective.
Not sure what relevance this has to the post other than I would say put yourself in the mind set of one of the great Victorian writers who inspire us VSFers so much and go for it. What would they think up with the knowledge they had at the time? Keep it simple I say .......that's pretty much what most of us do anyway (saves time, effort and money lol).
Oh and don't forget the rivets......