Flying Lead The Clacking Contraptions of Baron Von Steele.

The Clacking Contraptions of Baron Von Steele. (known to the Tommy as clacker jacks) Tussle on't Trestle! 16.55 on a Friday afternoon the fiendish forces of the fractious forryner are advancing on the village of Stacked On Trestle. Here the advanced forces of the Royal Engineers* will attempt to stall their atrocious advance. There is a mill by the stream. 

I'm having trouble with the formatting not "holding".  Please ignore.  Flying Lead is a "large" skirmish game that we have games-used for SF until its distant cousin Rogue Stars popped up.  The rules were designed to work for VSF to the far flunge future because of the online squad, vehicle & weapon builders.  You can design individual 007 heroes to the green troops being shoved into the mincer.  This is a gentle reminder/starter game.  I had intended 2 series, first this one based on a recurring theme, followed by a (re)introduction to Flying Lead.  This one hits both, as its VSF Flying Lead and the Mill.  Sorted.  Interestingly the rules suggest 150-200 points on a 2x2 board.  I'm planning on a cluttered 3x3 board and consider this a small force.

Baron Von Steele -
Points 136	Quality 3+	Combat 3
	-Pistol, Body Armor, Combat Fiend, Fanatic, Leader

Pistol  C+2 Short.

Body armour  Ties any combat he loses by 1 point.

Combat fiend  Can make 1 combat action per available activation

Fanatic  Q+1 for morale check, +1C in hand to hand.  No morale when friend killed.

Leader Any within 1 Long has +1Q.  Group order up to 5.  Death causes morale.

Clacker Jack  Quality 4+ Combat 4 Armored, Off-Road, Vehicle   Points 77

Off-Road  Moves Medium on and off road.

Armoured Can only be damaged by armour piercing or anti vehicle ammo.

Flamethrower C+4 against infantry, C+10 vs vehicles.   Max range 2 Long.

Hits 1 Short wide along whole path.

If vehicle dies a gory death (6 on attack die) Explodes.  Any Short radius C3 attack.  If knocked down also on fire then gets a C4 attack at end of turn.  Any attacks on burning target +2 .

If no activation, vehicle gets "free" Medium move forward unless stopped.

Sourerkrauten Officer -
Points 86	Quality 3+	Combat 2
	-Pistol, Body Armor, Fanatic, Leader

Sourerkrauten Infantry
Points 59	Quality 4+	Combat 2
	-Bolt Action Rifle, Body Armor, Fanatic

Rifle C+2 Long range.  Not move and fire, reload automatic.

Sourerkrauten Squad Light Machinengunner
Points 86	Quality 4+	Combat 2
	-Belt Fed Light Machine Gun pre 1945, Body Armor, Fanatic

C+3 Long range  2 actions setup OR -2.  Can be combined with a no.2 for faster set up.

Sourerkrauten Platoon Flamethrower
Points 116	Quality 3+	Combat 2
	-Flamethrower Pack, Body Armor, Fanatic, Slow

C+4 against infantry, C+10 vs vehicles.   Max range 2 medium.  Hits 1 Short wide along whole path.

If user dies a gory death (6 on attack die) Explodes.  Any Short radius C3 attack.  If knocked down also on fire, then gets a C4 attack at end of turn.  Any attacks on burning target +2 

I'm not using this one, but include it for reference - there is always the possibility of a follow-on game.

The Barons attacking force.  I'm giving the attackers 50% more.  I was aiming for 1,500 but got 1,655.  I could lose 2 Clackerjacks or 3 infantry.  

Baron 136

Clackerjacks 6 @ 77 = 462

Squad 2 x 5 infantry + Machinegunner = 676

Squad 5 infantry + Officer = 381

Royal Engineers Defenders about 800.

5 SAS troopers & Sergeant  692

1 Tankette with MG 67

This would be 759, but it wouldn't work.

More mundane!  Total 867.  Yes, I could lose the tankette, but this is a good well rounded force.

Captain 54
Charabang + 6 MI = 384 

1 Tankette with MG = 67

Special Air Section Sergeant & 2 troopers = 362

 

Special Ariel Section Sergeant -
Points 142	Quality 3+	Combat 2
	-Carbine, -Fragmentation Grenades, -Pistol, Chucker, Crack Shot/Marksman, Elite, Long Move, NCO/Second In Command

Long move.  Flying apparatus works as a series of powered jumps or hops.

Carbine.  C+2 Medium, Move & Shoot.

Pistol  C+2 Short.

Crack Shot.  Extra +1 on aimed shot.

Fragmentation Grenades/Chucker. +1 on Q roll deviation.

Range 1 Long/2 Medium.  

Within Short knocked down C3 attack. Medium C1 attack. Long 0 attack.

Against Clackers.  As above, Target rolls C2 not 4, attack - 1 for armour.

Elite no morale mod not having friend in M

NCO troops under command +1Q within 1 Short, group order.  Can take over if CO dies.

Special Ariel Section Trooper
Points 110	Quality 3+	Combat 2
	-Carbine, -Fragmentation Grenades, Chucker, Crack Shot/Marksman, Elite, Long Move

Truck Contraption Points 25 Quality 4+ Combat 1 Special Rules Off-Road, Personnel Carrier 6 passengers, Slow, Vehicle

Open, unarmoured  vehicle.  Carried infantry count as in light cover.

Slow Can make 1 Medium movement per turn on or off road.

Infantry take 1 action to mount or dismount.

Troops shooting from back get no penalty for moving.

For convenience roll one activation per mounted & vehicle.  Rolling for infantry turn after dismounted.

If no activation, vehicle gets "free" Medium move forward unless stopped.

Mounted Infantry Points 59 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules -Carbine, -Pistol, Specialist*

Mounted Infantry Officer Points 54 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules -Pistol, Leader, Specialist*

Leader Any within 1 Long has +1Q.  Group order up to 5.  Death causes morale.

Tankette Points 44 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules Armored +1 (Thin), Off-Road, Slow, Vehicle, Wide Tracks

Armoured +1 Can only be damaged by armour piercing or anti vehicle ammo.

Offroad/Slow  vehicle makes 1 Medium move per turn.  To effectively shoot, must stop.

If no activation, vehicle gets "free" Medium move forward unless stopped.

Machine Gun Points:23++ Auto Fire, Combat +3, Max Range 3 Medium, Spread

Auto Fire  Single or burst shots.  Aimed shots only affects 1st shot.

Burst allows targets within 1 short of target to be hit at -1 per target.

Combat+3.   

Shooting from moving vehicle -2.

Spread  hits any target within 2 base widths of original at no penalty, as if same target but no aim modifier.

++ This weapon is designed, all others listed are "by the  book"  http://www.ganeshagames.net/extra_info_pages.php?pages_id=17&osCsid=okjvtvjakaao057pf8qkalt0q4

Shooting at vehicles.

Flamethrowers.  Horrifying against any vehicle-.  This an anti- tank weapon in turn of the rules.

Firer rolls 1D6, + C of user + 10(!) (Modifiers)  Target 1D6+2

More than likely this will be a triple result--

Firer now rolls again.  D6 + amended AT.  Tatget D6+ Armour.  -2 if side or rear.

Use chart.

Machine Gun on the Tankette use same formulae, but on the second roll get a -4.

Light machine gun can engage the trucks which are unarmoured, choosing between the vehicle or the carried infantry.

Are the Clackers superior robots or early power armour?  Doesn't really matter- I've treated them as vehicles so you can make up your own mind.

Zoom through me blog to http://unitrecon.blogspot.com/2017/02/royal-corps-of-engineers-1899-yorkshire.html  2017!  Crom-.  This will explain the raisin d currents of the force.  The special Aerial  Service was a later edition:  http://unitrecon.blogspot.com/2019/05/fs-sas-take-on-worm-cultists.html

*   “The ordinary sapper is a great deal better educated than the common soldier, and they discussed the peculiar conditions of the possible fight with some acuteness. I described the Heat-Ray to them, and they began to argue among themselves. "Crawl up under cover and rush 'em, say I," said one. "Get aht!" said another. "What's cover against this 'ere 'eat? Sticks to cook yer! What we got to do is to go as near as the ground'll let us, and then drive a trench." "Blow yer trenches! You always want trenches; you ought to ha' been born a rabbit Snippy." "Ain't they got any necks, then?" said a third, abruptly--a little, contemplative, dark man, smoking a pipe. I repeated my description. "Octopuses," said he, "that's what I calls 'em. Talk about fishers of men--fighters of fish it is this time!" "It ain't no murder killing beasts like that," said the first speaker. "Why not shell the darned things strite off and finish 'em?" said the little dark man. "You carn tell what they might do." "Where's your shells?" said the first speaker. "There ain't no time. Do it in a rush, that's my tip, and do it at once." So they discussed it.”
― H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds

Lukka/Lycian Trojan allies.

 For my Trojan War forces I want to add a Lukka, or Lycian force under their Hero

leader Sarpedon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarpedon_(Trojan_War_hero)

These are settled Sea Peoples allies of the Trojans. Natural forces for Posideon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lukka_lands

I’ve already got some Museum Miniatures ox carts to produce smaller not-chariots like these Magister Militum miniatures. https://www.magistermilitum.com/sea9-ox-drawn-wagon.html Alas, these are true 15mm, so will look too small.

After all, you can never, ever have too many chariots on the go at any one time.

On that note, way back in April I backed the sort of pre-order kick starter for Battle Valors new chariot range for 4 mediums - and I received 8! Cannot argue with that!  Essentially this is 2 different sized vehicles pulled by different mounts and crew per race.

They were posted in January and I got them exactly a month later, which is quick for transatlantic post these days.  A big parcel, I paid an extra £39.32 VAT & £12 clearance fee.  BUT, that's less than the cost of the extras I got for the kickstarter, so I'm still squids in.  Hail Posideon!

I thought them and my mind went back to the Seapeoples/Lybian vs Egyptian encounters.  As well as normal chariots, they pressed ox carts into service as less mobile platforms for javelinmen.  Let's consider how that might have evolved by looking at the Hussites.  A later pastoral people faced with better equipped foes who pressed large carts into service.

Now I need bulls.    I could go back to Battle Valor who now have a range of separate mounts.  BUT!  RPE  do similar, and have 2 different bulls perfect for the use!  

http://www.ralparthaeurope.co.uk/shop/fantasy-15mm-singles-c-195/cavalry-c-195_203/mounts-c-195_203_204/di127s-armoured-bull-1-p-3945.html

Now I need new infantry.  Old Glory have an excellent range.  I've already used the Weshwesh for my Cretans.  So the Pelesets will be perfect.  There's also some regular chariots.  http://www.timecastmodels.co.uk/og15ancients_5/og15ancients_5.html

As these come from the US there's going to be inevitable price rises & long restock, so sooner than later!

I want the Lukka to provide about half a Trojan force.  That's about 8 units.  The war-wagon chariots, festooned with archers & javelins with 1 commander/hero each will provide 4.  A lighter wagon (the Museum Miniatures) supported by yet more javelins as flankers 2 more.  2 units of spear with small supporting unit of archer skirmishers.  A command unit of general in chariot with horse-drawn chariots completes.

Now I have just a little bit of spending to do----.

Trouble 't Mill. 1) Rogue Stars presents Daleks in Yorkshire 1880

First in the proposed series.  This could turn into a mini series on it's tod*.  This is a first draft.  Figure stats could change in play and follow-on games.  There's a possibility that I'll play this with different opponents & groups, so I'm bunging it out there in the hopes of dredging up interest and/or inspiring others to the bright path of sanity.

All TV series (and most soaps) produced in the UK are set in Yorkshire. It is a troubled, desolate land yet to emerge from William's harrowing of the north. 

Hint: https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Tooth_and_Claw_(TV_story)

*A Tod is a mythical creature akin to an EU Roundtuit.

Lockdown has seen many, many changes. I bough my most expensive model ever - £25 on a Dalek Gunship. So now I'm going to use it.

The Plot

Dalek objective:  collect sample, leave no witnesses.

Torchwood objective: Eliminate alien threat and either eliminate or capture werewolf.

Locals objective:  Get orf moi land!  Preferably without fuss and scandal.

The local tenant of Mill Farm, one Mr Hollar*, had an encounter on the road outside his property. This resulted in him turning into a werewolf, contrary to common law.  This is similar to mission 5 Manhunt.  Location 13 Farm and complication 19 Space Demon.

Daleks have learned of this event via telegraph interception and have dispatched a scout gunship to this more desolate than Skaro location to retrieve a sample.

* His daughter is included in the civilian list below as a young Lady of the Right Sort, who could provide a conflicting plot angle.

Location.  I'm building the board but it's at the early stage of looking at tiles and waiting for space/weather/inspiration to congeal.  Roughly, wet edge with mill, mill farm surrounded by hedged and walled fields.  A central road.  Off to one side is the manor farm, which stands on the very edge of the Muir.  The opposite will be wooded.  The road leads to the Frank Muir.  I'm not sure on rolling terrain - don't see why not.

Daleks

The Gunship is a small warp enabled ship of a type that can be found throughout the Dalek Empire.

Armament. Heavy laser.  Lethal against all potential targets, but also likely to drill a hole halfway to Australia.  Probably used at end of game to dispose of evidence and/or pre game to flush out the prey.

Defence Basic shielding and hull armour.

Crew Commander, Pilot, and Gunner carried internally. 3 Scouts or Specialists carried externally.  The pilot will not leave the ship so is not costed.  Loss of all other crew members will result in the craft lifting off.

This craft is operated by the Skaro Intelligence Directive SKID and has a few mission modifications.

Tactical discipline Cool under fire 8 -1pin.  Armour3 Crawl 1” Walk 2” Run 4” Sprint 6”

+1 spotting. Halve distance if aimed shot.

Blacktop sub-commander Artificial, Leadership2 Marksman2 Tough1 42 Total 53
Bionic eyes 4 Laser pistol (4) mounted variable, 7

Gunner Standard Drone Artificial, Veteran, Marksman3 Tough1  42 Total 53
Bionic eyes 4 Laser pistol (4) mounted variable, 7

Scouts Artificial, Marksman1 Quantum Harness Operator 1.  19.  Total 49
Bionic eyes 4 Laser pistol (4) mounted variable, 7, tuned down to equivalent monowire tangler, 3, Entangle  12.  This is a neural paralysing weapon.  A double tap will fatally fry anything with a nervous system.  May be re-calibrated back between missions.
Quantum Harness 18  See page 11


The Werewolf. The lair is the now damaged mill of Mill Farm. High stress situation is forcing Mr Hollar to remain in werewolf form.  He can grab & lose initiative.  The werewolf (not human) gets  first dibs on ALL reactions from all sides.  If he fails the opposing side can try as normal.

Claws and/or bite 2.  Tough 3.  Weaponmaster 3 Stealth 2.  Extra legs.  

Crawl 1"  Sneak2"  Walk 2" Run 5" Sprint 6".  (If human, use stats below for Beater)

If on setup he is within 1 move of a figure he receives 3 action to attack with a +2 attack bonus.  (Thus first question will be where wolf?)  

Any human bitten by him (he can choose attack)  will become a werewolf after a period of enforced rest.

He can ignore most hits due to regenerative powers, but takes a morale for Serious and Critical damage @ -1 per wound marker.  If fails, receives a free flee move to get into cover.  After which he cannot attack again until recovered.  

If he flees off-board this game is over and the Daleks must regroup at the ship and move onto the next table.  Locals can pursue after Tiffin.

*Tiffin is an ancient tribal rite, replacing earlier human sacrifices in the 18c, usually associated with blood sports.

The Locals  more hindrance than help!  They can be run as a 3rd force or attached to Torchwood.

If run as a militia, one should be upgraded as Veteran, losing the civilian or green status. + 16 or 14 respectively.  I can see these organising as a hunt, with a line of beaters moving the prey towards a line of guns.

Combined Torchwood & Local force starts with a leadership wall-pissing up contest.  

If Torchwood wins, chooses team up to standard 200xp team.

If Locals wins, each side forms a team up to 200XP that can either cooperate, be nuetral or opposed.  

Combined Local and Dalek force.  The locals could negotiate (as above) with the Daleks to have the werewolf removed by cooperating to block/oppose Torchwood.

Tactical discipline Sharpstooters:  5 aim tokens allowing missed shots to be rerolled.

Activation or Reaction Civilian  -4  Green -2 Veteran +1  Per Stress -1

Movement  Crawl 1".  Sneak/Hidden 2".  Walk 2".  Run 4".  Sprint 6"  

Squire Shittlecock  Civilian.  Leader1,  Marksman3   14  Total 18

Shotgun (musket) 4 Reload, 2 hand  4

Lady Shittlecock Civilian.  Marksman3   8 Total 17

Shotgun (musket) 4 Reload, 2 hand  4  Accurate weapon 5 

The Hon. Subaltern Audrey Shittlecock  Green.  Tough1.  Marksman2  12  Total 21

Shotgun (musket) 4 Reload, 2 hand  4

Service revolver 4  Short range,   5 

*  Miss Agnes Hollar.  Civilian.  Marksman1   -4  Total 0

Shotgun (musket) 4 Reload, 2 hand  4

Constable Makepiece  Green.  Marksman1. Tough1  6  Total 11

Service revolver 4  Short range,   5 

Gamekeeper Wully  Green.  Stealth2 Marksman3   16  Total 20

Shotgun (musket) 4 Reload, 2 hand  4

The Beaters  Civilians.  Tough 1 -2  Total 0

Improvised weapons (spear)  2 Primitive, Long 2

Torchwood

Tactical discipline  Determined.  4 chits to remove stress one character at any moment.

Professor Quarterpound  Leader3, Perceptive3, Tech2, Xenologist @34.

Assistant/niece Miss B Alert, Reactive, Marksman2, @24

Slug pistol 4  Short range,   5 

Colonel Danger sense, Fire into melee, Marksman3, Reactive, Stealth2,  @46

Shotgun (musket) 4 Reload, 2 hand  4  Accurate weapon 5 .  knife

American Reactive, Marksman3,  @31

Blaster rifle (adapted Martian radium rifle)  6  Heavy.  2 handed.  Energy. 8

Shootist Ampidextrous, Marksman2, Tech2, Weapon master2 “bionic” eyes @54

2 x Slug pistol 4  Short range,   5 

Miss G Agile1, Fire into melee, Marksman2, M.Arts2, Medic2,  @36

Slug pistol 4  Short range,   5 

Using clear Hard As Nails for water plus secret ingredient!

 I'm a wargamer, not a modeler.  Nice scenery good, but I don't want to spend all day doing it.  Plus I've no room for sprays or smelly resin stuff.  The only reason I'm bothering is that the old "at a distance" has gone out of the window when every phone camera takes zoom-able pictures that allows people to comment "that redhead should have freckles".

I think this is a success.  Depth about 2mm.  Drying time at 22*c  with about 80% humidity.  Finished enough to hairspray seal the shrubbery on day 4.  I'm sure it will clear up even more.  So a technique for "I need that next week" as opposed to "Tomorrow".

Cost.  Each board under £1.  Most expensive part is the hedges at about £2 a board.  For more information zoom pack to my first post in November 19.

Apologies for photos.  I'm using my Kindle and it's not as good as most phone cameras.

Mill course on one of my Japanese tiles.  Usual layer of ordinary no more nails painted in tester pots.

Central section added using ordinary no-more nails.

Clear added.

Next morning.  Looks good - but this isn't the tropics, so- 

Wet blended my 2 favorite inks, burnt umber & antelope brown.  I was going to add a second layer, but decided to leave well alone.

Looking good!

Not the right mill (buried-) but you get the idea!  I tried adding it to the wheel- didn't work, get out the UHU.

River sections.  I picked up these delightfully old-school resin sections at Beach Head.  OK, water isn't blue - no river has banks like that.  I put on a thin scrape.  Painted in tester pots.  You can just see a shine in the dry one next to the uncoated.  Conclusion - whack it on thick & paint rocks first--  some green foilage or a thin coat of unclear around the rocks would help.

So far so good.  Where to go from here?  I'd picked up some kids glitter paint from either The Works or Poundland with the view of doing "something".  I'd had some before & added it to rubble as broken glass.

This one is the base from above (as the nearest)  so its a quick brush over a painted surface, no clear.  It's OK, just about usable, the contrast with the rocks shows the glitter.

This was one of the covered ones from above, again a quick brush over.  Coverage is better than above & it does catch the light.

Now I tried mixing the glitter glue into the clear hard as nails.  Turns out it's a fantastic flow medium.  I thought I'd mixed enough for 1, ended up doing 3!  It did shrink down, one very small area is clear.  Surface is a lot lumpier, so would take a dry brush well.

It's how you want your water to look?  From the side it looks like fast flowing clear(er) water you'd find in a fast moving stream.  I need to add some foilage, paint the rocks and flock the banks.  Watch this space.

River tiles.  As seen & used to date.

I painted with a thin wash of burnt umber & antelope brown inks.

I added a lot more shrubbery to the edge, stuck foilage down in widest section with PVA.  Next I added clear to the first section.  The foilage helpfully added itself, which was nice.

Next day.  Bulk dry but some still not clear.  Ready to add clear to other sections.

Note- this stuff doesn't flow - it's a paste.  No need to seal the ends!

After day 2, still tacky around the edges, but useable with caution.

Day 4.  After hair spray sealed.

Oh yes, forgot to mention, as normal with cake boards, no warping.

I like this look.  The water is in motion.