How Do You Keep Those Craft In The Air - VSF

This post came about because of a comment on another of my posts. Thank you Michael Peterson.

This does comes up often, how do these flying battleship, well fly. Victorian Science Fiction (VSF) has been a hobby of mine after I bought my first computer and than software from Babagges. Just the idea of an analytical machine that was mechanical and analogue. Just to good for words.

So with a love of technology, Jules Verne and gaming I was ready to be introduced to such a period. And I got the introduction when I purchased Space 1889 in 1989. While I did enjoy the roll playing it was the nautical rules that interested me. I would than go on to purchase, Gaslight, AeroNef and recently Imperial Skies.

What they all have in common is that they all use a non-logical way of propulsion. Some are mechanical like Edison's Ether Screw or Professor Hartley Rennick R-Gravitons and than there is Loewe's Graviton engine. Others would use hydrogen or liftwood from Mars. What is consistent is that the Victorian engineers created Rube Goldberg-esque machines to get them in the air. The theory of traveling through the ether is also interesting as the gaming mechanic is based on historical precedent.

As for the personal attraction I like the idea of these airships or flying fortresses going into battle on Earth or Mars. Airships only on Venues, liftwood does not work. We could I guess put down a blue mate and fight out the battles as if we were on the sea, but we do love our airships.

Different Technology Timelines.

Space 1889
1868 Edison Ether Screw
1870 Liftwood from Mars
1874 Zeppelin efficient Hydrogen filled airships

Aeronef
1884 Frank Stockburn invents the Negative Gravity Screw
1886 Professor Hartley Rennick discovers R-Gravitons
1889 Synthetic R-Gravitons

Imperial Skies
1889 Kurt Loewe perfects the Graviton engine

Imperial Skies - First Battle

Signal Close Action

I am really remiss in getting this posted. After doing a couple of read-throughs of the Imperial Skies rules I was ready to do a quick couple of small-scale battles. As I only had a few ships ready I went with a German raid on a French desert village. The Germans have in both battles a Schleswig-Holstein class Dig Battleship against French destroyers and frigates. In the first fight the Germans also had a destroyer.

What became clear very quickly that battleships are not indestructible, or even all powerful. The SMS Hannover had the advantage of range with her guns but the French frigates could close the range very quickly with their superior speed.

This is not to say that the French survived without loss. One broadside from the SMS Hannover was enough to cripple any of the French ships. The Sirocos while able to maneuver around the larger slower dig, but when they were caught, it would mean damage or loss to the lighter ships.

Rescue Mission

The German also did attempt boarding actions but were not as successful as they wished. I have written to Robin Fitton and he looks to do a more in depth explanation of how to conduct boarding actions. I also have a few ideas of my own.

In the two battles the SMS Hannover was either crippled or destroyed and the raid was a failure, never getting close to the village. As for the French, their squadrons were seriously depleted with 30% to 50% losses but for the survivors, ample medals and rewards.

I look forward to finish painting up the squadrons and running larger battles.

View form the Yards

 

Waiting on their conversion

It has been reported to our offices that two of the navies taking part in the building boom have sent two of their ships back to the yards for modifications. This is of significant interest to both our offices and those of the Royal Navy as one of our correspondents has reported.

The French battleship Gaulois has returned to the Arsenal de Brest to have work done on her machinery spaces and have a new forward funnel added. While in the yard she is being inspected by the Armada Española as a possible design for the upcoming Spanish battleship Pelayo. There is much talk in Madrid circles that Spain will go with this design. This becomes a concern for other Mediterranean navies.

Models from Brigade Models

The Ottoman cruiser Turgut Reis has also returned to the yards to receive an upgrade in her main armament. Vickers is installing British heavy barbettes in place of her existing turrets. While this will take her from four main guns down to two, they will offer greater firepower and range. This change puts the Turgut Reis on par with existing Russian and Austro-Hungarian armoured cruisers. This change is also thought to be the beginning of closer ties between the Ottomans and the Royal Navy.

Brassey’s 1889 Naval Annual Mars Fleets

Mars Colonial Fleets

Brassey’s 1889 Naval Annual

Royal Navy on Mars
One Colonial Cruisers 
     HMS-A Newfoundland
Three Monitors
     HMS-A Raglan
     HMS-A Brown
     HMS-A Lucan

Eight Patrol Vessels

Two Dispatch Vessels

French Martian Fleet

One Flag Cruiser
Two Raiders
One Monitor
Eight Patrol Vessels

Image from Brigade Models

Russian Fleet
This reporter has found little official evidence of a Russian fleet on Mars. Currently the
Ministry of Commerce of Imperial Russia states that there is no official military presence on the planet. The Russian-Mars Company only leases ships for trade and exploration. 

The reports of a Dobrovolets class destroyer have not been confirmed by our reporters.

German Fleet

One Dig Battleship
     SMS Hannover
Brandenburg class Dig Destroyer 
     SMS Bayern
Two Patrol Vessels
Four Merchant Ships

American Navy
One Colonial Cruiser on rotation

Currently USS Keararge

Belgium
Belgium does have both an economic and a military presence on the planet. Current number of ships is unknown.

Ottoman Balloon deployed on Mars.

Brazil
Like Belgium, Brazil appears to be making a claim on the resources of the planet. At lease a single cruiser has been reported but no direct evidence is available at this time. 

Ottoman Empire 
The Turks have a minor presence on the planet setting up relationships with many of the hill and krag Martians. Other and airships there is little sign of direct Ottoman military presence on the planet. 

Spanish Empire
Spanish agents and explores have been found on Mars. While the reasons for their presence is uncertain we will continue to report on a possible build up of the Spanish Empire on Mars.

Paint Table - Oh My

Well to prove Jonathan Freitag right yes I may have a problem, it is not that big, honest. It is lucky for me there is not a Miniatures Anonymous. So by my count I have the following in different states on my paint table.

• 33 Aeronefs based, primed and partially painted
• 11 15mm armoured vehicles and artillery
• 92 15mm infantry, British Paras and Home Guard

Yes it is sizable.

Overall a packed table.
Infantry are behind the bin.

Two Turkish Balloons.

A French pre-dreadnought and two favorite merchants.

Polish, French and British tanks.
Yes, two distinct groups.

Arms Race - VSF Style

Gaulois next to a typical Royal Navy patrol craft.

It is already known that I am playing Imperial Skies on Mars (and Venus) in lieu of Dreadnought action on Earth, but a minor diplomatic matter came up in ordering the miniatures during and after the Kickstarter, an Arms Race.

First off I had two decent colonial fleets for the British and French with a small smattering of Germans, Americans and merchants. And than the Kickstarter came along and I bought the Russian fleet to get the cute Dobrovolets class destroyers. And as I was buying based on esoteric designs I had to also get the Gaulois class dreadnought.

Dobrovolets Class Destroyer
Image from Brigade Models website

With those on order I had to get a few more Royal Navy vessels, a Brazilian, more merchants, a few balloons and a Ottoman ship. (After the orders I had more battleships and and cruisers than I initially planned on.) And the arms race was off.

The good news is I have most of the ships I need for Mars but the British Colonial Office would like something heavier to off set the French Gaulois class and the German Schleswig-Holstein. I also received my CoreSec order of basing bits. The bad news is I do need more bits before starting the campaign.

For now the fleets have stabilized for the colonial powers on Mars, and working on a fleet list for Venus and the need for digs. It does seem I am having more fun with the planning than playing, but I have had fun with the Imperial Skies rules.

Imperial Skies - Gaulois Class Dreadnought

The Gaulois waiting to be built and based.

Seeing the Gaulois class dreadnought (or should it be battleship) was what clinched it for me to return to the world of Space 1889 and AeroNef through the Kickstarter for Imperial Skies. This is a model that calls out for anyone that loves the pre-dreadnought period of the wet navies.

Now the real Battleship Gaulois did have a lively career in the Mediterranean, ending with her being sunk on 27 December 1916, by UB-47. Now I am sure my Gaulois will also will have a similar exciting career.

I said battleship or more appropriate a pre-dreadnought as the Gaulois looks like an armed ship for this period. It also works for my campaign world that is based in 1889 and not the world or dreadnoughts in 1919, but that is my take on the models that I use.

Based and painted
from the Brigade Models website.

Space 1889 - Ground Rules

For me the Space 1889 world is one of great fascination. The thought of using stepped up Victorian technology to reach the stars is on of teams. Now while I prefer that universe I also admire the miniatures from Brigade Models and will  be using them in my gaming on Mars, as well as Earth and Venus. So before starting out wanted to offer a few ground rules on how I am setting out my campaign on Mars.

Here are the ground rules for the period aerial navies.

While I like the look of the dreadnoughts and battlecruisers they are for a future navy, maybe a 1906-ish navy. Battleships (i.e. pre-dreadnoughts) count  as one sixth of historical pre-dreadnoughts lists, cruisers one eight and destroyers and patrol vessels a tenth. This will make cruisers and patrol vessels the most prevalent.

On Mars cruisers are a rarity, mostly used used a flagships or by the local governor. On Venus the only difference is the aerial vessels are hydrogen filled airships. Monitor and their escorts have the greatest value in controlling the Martian populations. Cruisers are of most value against other European navies. Aeroplanes have not yet been invented yet, so once again maybe a possible addition for a 1906-ish fleet.

Mars
British Fleet
Two Colonial Cruisers
Three Monitors
Eight Patrol Vessels

French Fleet
Two Raiders
One Monitor
Six Patrol Vessels

Russian Fleet
Currently Uncertain

German Fleet
One Dig Destroyer
Four Patrol Vessels
Three Merchant Cruisers

America
One Colonial Cruiser on rotation

Venusian Fleets will be forth coming.

Imperoal Skies Has Arrived

The rewards for my support for this project arrived in the post yesterday. I received the rules and look forward to reading them over the weekend and getting my painted figures out. I also have a few ships and bits coming from this Kickstarter.


As I do love Victorian SciFi I can see this getting bumped up on the projects list. Anyone else taking the plunge?