The Essex Regiment, For Queen And Earth

 The wretched Red Weed was spreading across the British countryside but that was the least of their worries. Here. two courageous members of the Essex Regiment, Inspector Norse and the reporter encounter the Martians, fortunately without the tripod! The big eyed, nauseously purple-pink hued Martian was emerging from a castle ruin when it approached the men. The soldiers fired but it charged the inspector who emptied his revolver into the beastly being. It then stopped, green blood pouring from its wounds. A tentacle twitched and then it was still.

Yet all was not over. The Martians had genetically tampered with Earth specimens and created, under enhanced growth formula, huge monstrosities; one such creature suddenly emerged from the ruin. it was a beast resulting from splicing of fly, wolf and lobster DNA. The massive black claws clicked together and a disconcerting chittering emanated from the beast's probuscis, 

It moved its massive fly head from side to side as if deciding who it would menace. Before it could decide the soldiers place four rounds into the centre of its head. The monster fell to the ground and private Benson wiped the sweat from his brow.

THE FIGURES

The two soldiers and reporter have already been discussed. The flag is from  aluminium can with downloaded paper flag added and painted over, including the missing cross as it was an American Revolution flag.

The black beastie is from Reaper Miniatures thingy but with a cheapo toy fly head added after I lost the wolf head!

The Martian is a metal figure from Eureka Miniatures.

The inspector is  a metal figure with cowboy pistol arm added.

HISTORICAL DETAIL

The scenario is based on H G Wells War of the Worlds with some liberties taken: the DNA splicing is my own idea. No mention was made in the novel of soldiers using gas masks but the style of the gas masks is Victorian, The novel does, I think, mention a last stand of the Essex Regiment. This was an actual regiment. I researched, with the generous help of the Face Book British regiments group, its history. First battalion was in Britain around this time. The story's setting is vaguely somewhere between 1900 and 1907; the latter date is more likely. As khaki became the regulation non ceremonial colour from 1902 I have placed events either in 1901 or assumed disruption from the invasion caused soldiers to wear whatever they had immediate access to.

Carrying of flags into battle  by regiments ceased from 1881 and regimental numbers were n longer displayed in flags, but I have allowed this liberty. The Essex Regiment had to lose its purple facings from 1881 and they were replaced with white until the 1930s when purple was reintroduced.

For further ideas and inspiration I recommend the Victorian Science Fiction site on Face Book.