Picklekannon and Das Panzermann

Firstly, the Panzermann. This is about as close to steampunk that Im going any time soon. A personal set of musketry resistant personal armour. Armed with a 2" rifle.





^ A size comparison of a machine alongside a gentalman and a member of the working class.


^ Exiting from the charge ramp of a Ironclad.


^ The Picklekannon. The most practical way to carry a light mortar into the mists of modern combat.

8lb Mountain Howitzers

Some more weapons based on 15mm ACW guns, but with added bits of pipe and whatnot.

I should really go make some gun crews....

Prussian Ironmongery

The basic elements of the experimental Prussian war theory of ‘Donnerkrieg’ (trans. Thunder-War) are really rather simple. The basic idea runs along the lines of ideas of Clausewitz’s, the conduct of war by the conquest and acquisition of points of strategic importance in order to bring victory. However, this is taken to the extreme. This new idea of war is a considerable departure from the modern line of battle. Emphasis has been culminated on the need for speed and rapid advance at a finite point, rather than the normal position of the need to hold and advance the line. The intention of this is that these specialist forces can penetrate the established line of battle, dissolving behind where the enemy are at their strongest to attack communications, command and supply, and in doing this so weaken the main fighting force of the enemy to the point where conventional forces can become victorious.

It is only by modern advances of science that this revolutionary type of war has become possible, most notably the adoption of steam powered locomotion in the armies of the modern world. In the advanced ‘cruiser’ forces of the Donnerkrieg there is not a horse to be seen, these raiders rather riding upon steam powered wagons, faster and indefatigable compared to their equine counterparts. It is however the ironclads of the land that makes the tactic quite so potent. The armoured wagon or car, able to carry the firepower of the battery far beyond the drawn lines of battle, provides an unstoppable force when presented against any and all forces lesser than that of the front line, allowing the raiders free rain in their havoc.

^ The Prussian Ironclads. The two smaller Armoured Cars (from Ironclad Miniatures) are armed with a maxim gun and armoured by boiler plate. The larger one is a converted ‘Brass Coffin’ (by Ramshackle Games). It is armoured by thick armour plates and armed with a experimental 'Electric Rifle', and contains an internal area for transporting infantrymen.

^ Some WIP shots of the Iron beast.

Donnerkreig – Infantryman’s Protected Conveyance (IPC) – Ideas

I’m rather taken with the idea of giving my Panzer Dragoons some kind of armoured vehicle so that they can rightly go into battle alongside their fellow Land Ironclads (who are finished and pictures will be posted soon).

I’ve been having a think and a Google, and here’s some pictures I found on the eithernet that are of the sort of ‘it could have happened, possibly...perhaps’ style that I like to have in my VSF games, rather than the Steampunk infused Wells that some people enjoy.(These are just pictures I found on the internet, so if they belong to anyone and they don’t want me to use them for any reason, just say)

^ I really like this last one. 

I write this to appeal to the modellers, wargamers and scratch builders of the world. Does anyone know how I can make anything like this myself? Or anywhere that makes kits in the correct scale? Any other ideas on what a Prussian IPC would look like? Any ideas or thoughts at all really?

Tripple-Barrel Nordenfelt Machine Gun

 I converted up a 3 barreled nordenfelt gun out of some sprew, a 15mm scale ACW gun limber, some brass rod and a plastic I-beam gerder.

Im not sure about it, I'll make my mind up once theres paint on it. What do you all think?

In the works: Prussian Panzer Dragoons

I don’t normally like to put out images of half finished models, but I thought these were worth showing without a coat of paint on them.

Finally ready for painting my Prussian ‘Panzer-Dragoons’. They are part of an elite mechanised force, transported into battle on the back of an armoured machine. With no need for lengthy forced marches, they can take liberties with burdening themselves with bullet-resistant Krupp breastplates and enclosing themselves in gas-masks and leather bodysuits. Armed with leaver action rifles, bayonets and sharp Prussian discipline, combined with avid defence from musketry and poison attack, they pose a great threat on the field of battle.

The models themselves are ‘Shock Trooper’ bodies (Wargames Factory), with added gasmasked Pickelhelms (from West Wind Poductions), then with rifles and arms from British Zulu war troops (Wargames Factory again). Easy conversions really. The green-stuffing was then done on a whim by Elton Walters, the owner of my local gaming shop (Westgate Games, Canterbury).

1879, British attack on French Colonial Assets.

It is 1879. The ‘Great War’ in Europe has been raging for almost 6 months. Following the repulsion of the French invasion forces from British soil, an empire wide campaign is brought into operation to take the fight back to the French and every corner of the world in their possession.

 

^ The Forces of the Crown launch a costal strike against French Ships in harbour. The French ships start unmoving in their harbour, whilst British forces march from the west (bottom of the photo), under the protective fire of the Royal Navy.

^ The British Line Advances

^ As does the French Line

^ The French Battleship 'La Gloire' supported by the gunboats 'Tripoline' and 'Mafalde', attempt a flanking move on the British line, destined for failure, as within minutes the an anarchist bomb detonated in the magazine of ‘La Glorie’ before she could make any real impact on the battle. Despite this setback, the French pushed forward, easily holding the line with their considerable advantage in numbers.

^ The costal monitor ‘HMS Dictator’, the battleship-of-the-line ‘HMS Dinosaur’ and the torpedo ram ‘HMS Thunder Child’.  A Rag-tag British squadron crept along the cost on a mission to destroy a squadron of French ironclads unawares whilst at port. However fate was not to have it, as news of their presence and intentions reached the French squadron in time for  the ships to raise steam and for several regiments to be rushed to their defence.

^ The Thunder Child  torpedoes French frigates leaving port. 

 Actually found time to play a game of Land Ironclads. It was just something I did after work one day, so we sort of ‘winged’ making the scenario and orders of battle. It went rather well considering that, however it soon turned out that running a naval battle alongside a major land battle was a little less interconnectivity than intended. Aside from a few pot shots, the naval and land battles were entirely separate. When the battle-lines did come to meet it soon turned out that the forces were a little less than balanced, and the superiority in French numbers took their toll on the British. Still bloomin’ good fun though.

Peruvian ‘Regular’ Forces

Peruvian Regulars

The regular infantry companies of Peru. Brass Helmets, White Tunics, Red Trousers. 

Cavalry Companys

Three squadrons of cavalry and a battery of horse artillery. 

Artillery 

Krupp 6 Pounders.

Armoured Artillery Conveyors 

A 6” Naval gun mounted in a diesel powered armoured shell. 

Ironclad Destruction Guns

Due to the defensive nature of Peru’s defence policy, the decision was made to channel funding to large defensive guns rather than mobile land ironclads. A number of 48” Webley-Armstrong Rocket Cannons were installed in defence of key strategic locations along the cost. The slow moving 48” rocket propelled shell proved to be highly effective against both naval and land ironclads throughout the Spanish Reclamation. 

The Peruvian Land Navy

“Inversimil Yacumama” 2^nd Class LandCrusier

The most powerful land-ship in the Peruvian land navy, the “Inversimil Yacumama” (trans Improbable Sea-monster), was converted from a abandoned privateer cruiser in 1882. Although the machine appears cumbersome, it is in fact highly stable and fast moving. As she did at sea in her original incarnation, the “Inversimil Yacumama” is a highly effective Land Cruiser, able to penetrate or outflank enemy battle lines at hit hard at her venerable supply lines and command posts.

“Boxeador, Katherine and Nuevo Generosidad”, 3^rd Class Battle Ironclads

The “Boxeador, Katherine, Nuevo Generosidad” are all examples of modern land ironclads of the British Rhomboid design. Modern, well armed and armoured but rather slow, these machines are a considerable asset to the main battle line wherever they are deployed.

“Bolognesi and Cáceres”, 4^th Class Ironclad Hunters

Perceiving the threat of the vast fleets of foreign ironmongery that would soon steam their way across the dusty sands of the desert, a project was put into place to overcome the inevitable numerical superiority of enemy ironclads. The result was these ‘Ironclad Hunters’. Small, concealable and mounting a heavy 12” gun, they would prove to be a considerable threat on the battlefield.

“Número I – IV”, 5^th Rate War Tractors

During the War of the Pacific a considerable number of heavy industrial tractors were converted into improvised fighting machines. With added armour plating and the addition of cannon turrets, they proved themselves to be viable combat units throughout the conflict leading to their permanent adoption in the Land Navy.