Late March Posting /in Lock Down

So here we are in Lock Down on the little island.

So when I was given the word that I'd likely be put on furlough but be expected to attend emergency call out. I looked at the pile of unfinished projects and said to myself...……………...lets start something new rather than finish off what I already have in progress.

I know I know fatal move but I did have a glass of wine in my hand at the time.

Lots to do to finish them but its a start.

So the long planned Martian canal docks has done into swing. A 4 by 6 multi level board. Almost impossible to store and carry. But what is life without a challenge ;)



So while I was at it I cut two further 4 by 6 boards for the future. Still early days but it's at least at start.

The kit am turning into a wheel house/granary on the canal front. As you will know am keen on pushing water power technology that the Canal Priests maintain with their knowledge of the "old ways".

Along with this I bought in some more mdf from TT Combat,War Bases UK and Blotz Terrain. Unfortunately TT has now suspended trading on government advice with the Beer Flu. However some of the family run companies  are still trading and if you can please support them during this time by buying a few things. We don't want companies without vast resources to go under. The hobby has come so far over the last ten years with the growth of independents and it would be a great lose to see the progress reversed.

Over the last two months I added more to my Syrtis Major buildings. The docks are planned to provide a canal level for the city. The buildings for the streets above.

But depending how I finish it may also be able to double for other wealthy cities. But Shatapsh will have their own set if plans go ahead without forced change. Am still going with the different regions of Mars are different colour schemes based on the rock/sands colours to avoid a bland look. Oh and it makes more work for me ;) lol

I even managed to kit bash some left over bits from a balsa wood catapult into a simple crane for the docks last night. I haven't done so much in ages ;)

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Seasons Greetings

Season’s Greetings


Thank you for sticking with the blog I know there hasn’t been on there this year. Not unlike other years. But life hit me around the head with a nuclear submarine sized baseball bat at the start of this year. I’m no longer with my better half and as you would expect this put the hobby to the back burner with other projects.

The 1:1 scale character building fared a bitter better as it takes less physical effort to make things and acquire, if not just as expensive.

But as they say onwards and upwards. I’m restarting as many old projects as possible and hope more posts will come in 2020.

So let me wish you all a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.

May your God, Gods or Richard Dawkins go with you.

A little bit of Martian Gold

A meager offering for this month. Some terrain scatter.

Lions for the British administration, a small fountain and Martian hero.

A simple Martian pedestal with Martian hero.

Martian Banners & Flags

I started working on these after I bought the new version of Space 1889. Just like the missing Martian alphabet fans had to make up their own flags for Martian city states.

But now we have some. Personally I would of picked others but I'm happy enough to go with the flow on these. So if you like them here is a freebee to print off etc.

These are principally for infantry units. I've played with larger ones for cloudships and buildings.

Oenotrian,Tossian and Boreosyrtis League in that order. There are more in the pdf with newly created faction which I'm not overly keen on. So I'll stick to the main ones.

The Red Captains are coming!

First of my Red Captain cloudships.

She is the Breton Rose. A Martian screw ship converted into a stream gunboat. Or she will when I put in the engine.

You can't see in these pics but she has a blue hull. I was going to paint the wheel house but then thought it showed she wasn't armoured better then an explanation in the stats. She will have a small converted locomotion engine which will drive the Martian props. She will have two forward guns and either one or two aft. If I add a bit of armour to the top of the wheel house she may get a light gun there as well?


Still behind on the others but they are all getting closer to launch.

USS? American cloudship-March WIP blog post

So having planned to really get to grips with the blog , life as usual thrown me a curve ball. But here is trying.

A WIP of the USS...……..name not given yet. She still needs weapons and her flag.

I've few more in the ship yard. Another tug a ferry and a Red Captain ship. If lady luck is with me these should be done before April.

Martian Canal Barges-Jan 2019

No not the sort of canal barges that first came to your mind. This are the flying sort found on Mars.

Some times when larger cargo vessels can't dock at the cloudship port and don't want to wait they hire a barge and crew to unload their cargo. Sometimes merchants hire a barge to collect merchandise they are expecting.

While steam engines could be added to these it doesn't make much sense for craft that travels short distances and doesn't require need for great speed.

I will need to add more weight to the barges rears as they don't balance on the stands. Maybe something inside the power housing. I don't know how I want to do the base. I may even get a clear plastic one?

While some may of been converted must are powered by a hand power screw.

I've added my Aphid to give a bit more scale

The mdf kits come from Blotz Terrian in the UK.

I had hoped for some nice shots of clear sky behind the Aphid but today all my neighbours had to start to cut their grass for the first time this year. AAAARRRRGGGG!!!!