Gorillas in the Gunsmoke

This here is Cactus Joe, a Gorilla Gunslinger. He's a crazy wild west mutant ape, armed with a pair of Colonel Colt's finest revolvers. He also wears a serape and chews a cigar. I like him.

But is he maybe too off the wall? Is that even possible in VSF? 

First thought is he could be used for one of Vardu's mutated minions. I definitely need to add to that group. I can't even really field a decent IHMN Company for him yet. Joe's actually more in period than good ol' Ape-X, who is currently dedicated as the evil scientist's bodyguard. This fellow might be more suitable.

Oh, and if you like Cactus Joe, you can get him here.

Clockwork. Flying. Monkey.

It must be mine.

It may be purchased online here.

Tin Man isn't bad, either...

Some new(-ish) Selections (Hiding in my Drafts)

   I spent a few mintues perusing the Reaper and Wyrd Miniatures online shops, and found the following items which I thought might be of interest. Many of them are suitable for multiple scales as automatons.

Reaper: Dr. Darius Hellstromme, 59003

Reaper: Mad Scientist, 59014

Reaper: Mad Scientist (Female), 59009

Reaper: Xiufang, 50260

Wyrd: WYR1017

 Part of the Guild Faction.

Wyrd: WYR1028

Guild Faction

Interesting as an Automaton bodyguard, perhaps - the large shield used to protect the patron more than the construct.

WYR1029

WYR1030

WYR1037

WYR3035

Arcanist Faction

WYR3040

Arcanist Faction: Soul Miner

   I see this being used for a 6mm large tunneler vehicle.

WYR3041

Arcanist Faction: Large Steampunk Arachnid

      Not my favorite steam spider. But big.

WYR3043

Arcanist Faction

   This fellow could be a major hero for an automaton force. I like others better, but it is certainly a striking mini that would be a centerpiece figure.

WYR3051

Arcanist Faction

An alternate to the original steam arachnid swarm. Personally, I think these are too sleek, more sci-fi than steampunk. But still a nice figure.

Chronoscope Line Potentials

   I am partial to a lot of the minis that Reaper Miniatures makes. I am especially fond of the Chronoscope line. While checking them out recently, I found the following figures that I just knew would be of interest to my fellow VSF gamers.

   The first one is a steam-power armored hero, carrying a big pipe wrench. An excellent servitor for any automaton force in 25mm.

50165: Decker Lugstampf, Steampunk Hero

   A classic nightstick-armed Peeler. Useful for RPGs, or scenarios. Probably not much use on a battlefield, but used to conduct the women and children to safety while the troops defend the settlement? I could see that.

50106: British Bobby

   While this is ostensibly the ever-loyal companion of Mister Sherlock Holmes, this figure of Doctor Watson would serve well for any armed Victorian (later Victorian) era gentleman.

50060: Doctor John Watson

   This is not my favorite clockwork or automaton servitor around. But, it has its own charm, and felt it should be included with the rest of this listing.

50063: Jeeves, Clockwork Robot

   I like this little guy. He's quite short, but he looks like something straight out of the old sci-fi pulps. Bubbling beakers? Check! Engorged cranium? Check! Maniacal laugh? Check! And they had a shot of one painted up, so I shared it with you. Painted by Michael Proctor.

50061: Professor L.T. Froschmeister, Scientist

   Hope this has been helpful or inspiring to you.

Snow Day, 2011

  Wow. I have a day off because of 'snow.' In Houston, Texas. Heck, south of Houston. And no snow at all fell around my house. There was some ice overnight and early this morning, so probably a good idea to keep the school buses off the roads. And since I am a school teacher, that meant I have the day off, too! So what to do with an unexpected day off? Well, let's see...

  For those of you who are unaware, I am involved in helping to develop When the Navy Walked, a set of rules for VSF games.

50164: XAIRobots (3) ($9.99)

Kevin Williams

   I found a pack of these guys in the half-price bin of a dealer at OwlCon. They are from the Chronoscope line produced by Reaper. I thought they looked just perfect for some giant walkers to go with my 6mm forces for When the Navy Walked. I like the rules best for bigger battles, and that's why I am doing a 6mm setup for them.

   Anyway, they aren't painted yet because it's too cold to prime them at the moment - I am afraid the spray would freeze before it hit the mini, it being only about 28 degrees in my garage at the moment. Haven't quite decided what kind of paint scheme I am going to go for with them. I thought I might make them for at least two of the different European empires, probably Great Britain and Imperial Germany. But do them in something like national colors, camouflage, or metallic? The really big one might be fun for Russians, but I haven't decided if I am going to try to reproduce them in 6mm. I do want to do them in 25mm, at least partly because of some really inspirirng work by Sterling Moose on the forces of His Imperial Majesty, Tsar Nikolas II, on Lead Adventure Forum.

The Blue Regiment

  I'm also trying to get some painting of my own accomplished today. I can't work on the Whirlifliegers remaining to be done, because I can't prime them. I am working on some Empress British figures and trying to finish off the ten RAFM Martian archers.

  I also ordered some more minis from Scale Creep, the Black Hat Prussians, mostly. Needed more 15mm Germans. A platoon of Aetherbattalion is nice, but I need some regular Line troops. I've also been on eBay, the black and dirty shame of it all...

   I also have to get to work on some editing, and do some work on the Aethergraph. Speaking of which - I NEED SUBMISSIONS! I'll take anything you have VSF related. Even if its just a character description. Or some odd techno-device you use in your VSF universe.