For the record...

Photostats are just too difficult to layout properly in this journal. Has anyone else had a similar difficulty? I think from this point onwards, I shall simply pop small photos into the center and put any text above or below them.

Reports of Progress on Deathray Training

Gentlemen, we have received alarming reports that Prince Musta Gopotty of the Martian state of Galfor, that implacable opponent of all things Right and Proper - that is to say, British - is readying troop of soldiers mounted upon devilish flying mounts. The Martian Deathray is a rightly feared predator of the Martian highlands, where it gracefully soars under the twin moons of the Red Planet. Never before has anyone even tried to keep any in captivity. Their enormous size and strength and well-known ferocity indicate such would be nigh on impossible!

And yet, the impossible does seem to be happening! As these photostats clearly show, the renegade Prince has mounted one of the smaller species of deathrays, the golden whorled deathray. While smaller than its cousin, the Great Deathray, it is much faster and more agile, and clearly capable of carrying off a man, or carrying one mounted on its back.

[Editor's Notes:]
The ray is a spotted eagle ray toy I bought at the Dallas Zoo. I think it was manufactured by Safai Unlimited or something like that. I scraped that info off the bottom - oops! Then I drilled a hole in its belly and popped it onto a clear flight stand. The rider is a Martian prince in 18mm from Black Hat miniatures. The straps are some strips of sueded lacing that I just superglued onto the toy.

The big problem was that the cast miniature would not sit on the flat back of the ray. So I had to make a saddle of some sort.

I bought some clay, mold putty and two part casting resin at the local Hobby Lobby. I sculpted a saddle out of the clay and baked it hard, per the package directions (I used green Sculpey Primo).

Next, I made a mold using the mold putty. It was really easy: knead the two equal sized bits of putty together, then press onto the master and let it sit. It took all of about 30 minutes for the mold to be ready.

I popped the original 'green' out of the mold and

mixed a small amount of the resin - still way too much, it turned out. Poured the resin into the mold, waited about 10 minutes (just to be sure), and popped out the little white beauty you see here, next to the original.

The whole process was really easy. Granted, the sculpting is primitive and a simple form, but I am still very happy with how it came out. I can make more saddles for the Great Deathrays now. I have even figured a way to modify them to make a two-man saddle possible for the bigger rays.

Other projects are moving along as well. I have been working on several Martian buildings from plastic containers of various shapes and sizes, filled with expanding insulating foam for extra rigidity, and then the bottom given a layer of Water Putty for heft. When I get one really finished, I'll post pictures. I even have some "in progress" shots. I am nearing completion of the entire squad of 28mm British Secret Weapons troops [Praetorians from GW], and have one of the two modified Sentinels ready to go except for a final shot of matte spray and the banner.

I bought some dried plants to make more Martian terrain, as well. Some strange looking trees will be making their appearance on the gaming table soon.

RTS Santa Fe One week Down

10 October ….

   This is the first entry I have been able to make in the logbook as things have been very intense the last few days, as the good Mr. Griggs is covering every aspect of our mission in needlessly minute detail. Seems as though his dreams have been about nothing besides the Veiled Planet for the last week; luckily, my dreams have been about the missus! Since someone of importance one day will probably be reading this log, I will not go into details about those dreams. We have studied the SET (South East Texas) Hut drawings at least fifty times and although I have built too many in my time in the service, we are still looking at the blueprints. The camp arrangement is another ordeal, as we have planned out at least thirty different camp arrangements and the guard towers have moved forty times in the last two days! I made the mistake yesterday of telling Mr. Griggs that the terrain will dictate the final camp layout and this has added much pain and never before have I looked forward to my daily pint of rationed ale as I do now.

   I am extremely thankful that this vessel has a Chief’s Mess, so I am able to escape from Mr. Griggs, as neither officers nor junior enlisted are allowed in the 'Goat Locker.' Chief Boatswains' Mate O’Malley and I are old acquaintances from the RTS Goliad and we often talk of the days when our hair was thicker and of a darker shade. Then we talk of our troubles and laugh. There are nine senior enlisted on board. Two are Army, so we give them a hard time just because it is amusing to us and it helps pass the time.

   My Army counterparts have trained every day doing physical training. Not to be undone, my NCOs, Sergeant Garcia and Corporal Cromwell, have been putting the boys through some hard training as well, because we are Republic Marines, and we must live up to our image and history. After all, nothing like Esprit de Corps to bring people together.

   Well I must end this day's entries and join my mates for a daily pint in the mess.

Other goings on...

Work continues apace on the recruitment dirve for Martian askaris [RAFM Space 1889 miniatures]. An additional five recruits are nearly through their training.

We have located another tribe of gex warriors, red of hue and fierce of heart. Ten of these fierce tribesmen are nearly ready to threaten the peace of Venusstadt.

General Sir Edmund Blackadder [Minifigs 25mm mounted British Officer] has recently arrived in the Royal Martian Colony as well. As soon as his baggage is sorted, I shall provide a photostat of his arrival, mounted upon his favorite steed, Baldrick.

Three small but stout-hearted reinforcements have arrived to complete a platoon of British regulars in the colony [Stone Mountain 15mm].

Once basing is complete on these figures, the Pledge shall be updated to reflect this progress, the first in weeks.

Goings on in Port Oglethorpe

I have recently come into possession of correspondence from an old acquaintance of mine, who is currently involved in the ongoing situation with Lady Constance Forthmorington in the Pashalik of Lotzasand.

He has assured me that their endeavour is in need of additional assistance. If you are interested in helping an intrepid group of American and European adventurers, please make contact at this differencing engine location: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Age_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen_PBEM/.