Yesterday a few LAF'ers and friends got together to celebrate the birthday of our good friend Sterling Moose. In attendance besides myself and Sterling Moose were JamesManto, Hitman and a few non LAFers, although we won't hold it against them
The quiet of the dawn was broken by the clang of steam engines working overtime as the two very different armies moved across the Venusian valley. On the one side, the Dutch-Russo Alliance thundered into view, some mounted on fantastical steam powered contraptions, led by King Willem III himself with the blessings of his great grandnephew the Tsar. Facing them was an unusual assortment of Americans and Brits, desperately banding together in an attempt to avoid feeling the wrath of the angry monarchs. How did this happen?
This continent of Venus had been long ago divided and ruled by the friendly Russian and Dutch governments while the Americans and British had spent the majority of their efforts building their empires on Mars. Now a large strike of Unobtanium had been discovered in the mainly uninhabited southern plains of the continent and the British and Americans now wanted in. Arriving separately, the Americans under the command of renowned Martian fighter General George Armstrong Custer and the British under Colonel Haig each landed on the plain and set up covert mining facilities. Custer immediately made his headquarters in the ruins of an ancient Parrotmen temple, just the first of his many mistakes on Venus…..
The mightly Dutch and Russian Armies take to the field
Cavalry, Panther Panzers and a steam carriage prepare to blitzkrieg the English left flank, supported by Dutch Parrotmen sepoys and Marines
Black Dutchmen march next to Princess Wilhemina's women's brigade, with Jagers skirmishing ahead. Note Colonel Flashman, torn from the comfort of his place in the back of the field with the high command with orders to take the temple at any cost.
Dutch Sailors, Marines and experienced KNIL troopers follow another Jager unit. The high command looks on
Russian hired Askari's start are tasked with holding the middle
The mighty Russian Warhost stretches on as far as the eye can see - Cossacks, troopers, mercenaries.....
Steam powered battle suits, and the most feared unit of all, the Cossack Scorpion riders
General Custer surveys his troops with confidence from the towering Parrotman temple ruins. How could a group of serfs and wooden shoe wearers triumph over his glorious Americans and his British allies?
The left flank:
Some exquisitely painted Empress British hold the centre
While American troopers are entrenched around the temple
Meanwhile Roughrider Colonel Teddy Roosevelt, distrustful of the rash and reckless Custer's command abilities, cautiously places and organizes his roughriders, sailors and rocket unit
Roosevelt's ace in the hole? A steam tank, previously concealed from Custer
So there is the setup. Time for bed. Action shots tomorrow!
08 April 2015, 09:55:40 AM