Conversions For The Stellar Republic & The Celestial Empire & a Look Ahead to Coming Battles

 Given current developments in The Grab For The Islands I have been led to convert some additional figures, this time not Zombies. You see Mat and I accidentally jumped ahead a little to map move 9 where he has encountered, on one of the bigger islands, A 17th century, ECW analogous society. For the islanders I'll mostly be using the very same ECW figures we previously used for Beersteiner and Bogavanian matchlock wielding troops. However, I'd like to have some alternative flags. Looking through my fantasy flags I found some variations on a single star. 

  So below are the flag bearers, first up a converted Call to Arms ECW officer. The flag is made from a portion of aluminium energy drink can (which I hasten to add I did not drink from). The paper flags will be glued with PVA to the aluminium.

  This bloke came with a set of pirates, not a bad figure considering its cheap nature. He looks mostly good without a hat but I decided to rid him of his manbun and give him a hat and feather. I also trimmed his enormous feet.

  More flag bearers:  These are some cheapo farm-hands or assorted civilians. The main changes were trimming the jeans down to show shin high socks and trimming off pockets. Then I added putty hats and long hair as well as a plume. I haven't been that bothered with 'accuracy' as these are fantasy figures. The figures looked like they were meant to hold tools so they easily grasped the flag poles. The flags were measured and Super Glued with baking soda used with the glue to fill in the spaces.

   Here is another picture of the Stellar Republic officer and another unaltered cheapo pirate.

  Other figures I gave pig tails to; these will be Celestial Empire matchlock men and officers. I'll add some waist ammo containers.

The Celestial Empire is intended as similar to both China and Japan before they advanced past matchlock firearms. It has not yet been located.

RUNDOWN OF CAMAIGN EVENTS

So far.... My Beersteiners, after several map moves of sailing landed on Dread Island on map move 6, to find it occupied by zombies, Skeleton warriors and vampire. The Undead were defeated by gunpowder and withdrew. 

  After recovering and continuing to unload the ships the Beersteiners pursued and caught up to the remnants of the Undead army. They greatly outnumber the evil ones but the terrain is cluttered and the vampire and Black Coach powerful. That will be our next game.

  Meanwhile my second expedition has landed at a small island with a skull shaped cliff. The island, unknown to my troops, is inhabited by a gigantic gorilla and three villages with stone age people. A number of dinosaurs also inhabit the island. 

  Just after my landing at an apparently uninhabited beach a large expedition from Mat's Fezia and Bogavania arrived. My forces are heavily outnumbered but any war over the island will result in a larger war with Beersteiner troops in positions to threaten the Fezian mainland border. We will see if diplomacy wins out. Frankly, I'm not sure the island is worth it anyway. So there might or might not be military action there and it could involve more than a two sided contest!

  Mat's other expedition has, in move 9, arrives at a large island occupied by the Stellar Republic. The 17th century level people have been cut off from other societies but they have, over many years, maintained an armed force which has dealt with the occasional raid by Aztecs.

  The Stellar force is strong in cavalry, 4 heavy units. They have three musketeer units, one which is elite and one is militia. They also have two cannons but their rate of fire is inferior. Their force is slightly more numerous than the Fezians. The latter are a curious mix of old and new, with a units in armor and others with short bows. One unit has flintlock muskets. There are two cannons. 

  The Stellans are scattered into three villages and if war breaks out they might well try to concentrate rather than be taken out piecemeal.

  The other extraordinary thing to happen is the appearance of an American Civil War force near the Bogavanian capital. The method of transportation is a long story and I shall not go into it right now. However, it appears the Union men are adapting to the strange situation and intend to offer their services at the capital. The force consists of two infantry units and two cannons as well as their supply wagons. It is unlikely that they will see action, however, the impact of their rifled muskets could be long term. With the top technology of the most advanced nations it would take some thirty years to copy the weapons technology and little Bogavania just might be the first to benefit.

  Just on a broader explanatory note, a number of lands have trapped their inhabitants in the confines of their nations; this has happened due to the Green Miasma which regularly appears around islands and natural borders. The island people have thus been unable to build ocean going craft and have been limited to row boats for fishing up to some 10 kilometers off the coasts. Yet, occasionally the miasma vanishes. This is one of those times. (The reason for the toxic mist is one not properly understood by the inhabitants of New Earth but that is another story).

  TO COME...

First hand accounts of the First Battle of Dread Island and complete lists of troops and losses.