Volume 3, Issue #2 Published

   With a great many thanks to the contributors who made it possible, I have finished putting together the newest issue of The Aethergraph.

   The link to the left should be active. Or you can go to it here.

   As always, please let me know what you think. Work has already started on Issue 3, and I hope to have it out before the end of the year. This would be a record for me. Of course, if I keep getting more submissions, it could possibly stretch to four issues in 2014... but let's not get too ambitious just yet.

   Enjoy!

Another Kickstarter Project

   Rob Angell of Curious Constructs is taking part in another Kickstarter for 28mm heavy equipment suitable primarily for a Game of Grim Warfare Set in the Far Future.

   However, his focus in that game is on the troops of Praetoria, who exhibit a distinctly neo-Victorian aesthetic. And so, they are quite nice for fans of Victorian Science Fiction, such as myself.

   I had been aware of this project for a few weeks, but had not really looked into it. Then I saw a posting about it elsewhere with a piece that I simply had to have. So I am now backing this project. The usefulness of the pieces - for me, in particular, the non-weapon pieces - is just too much for me to not order. In particular, I mean the searchlight and the barrage balloon winch. I envision these as a galvanic heliograph and an airship tether respectively.

  Should you be interested, the Kickstarter project has still a few more days until it funds. You may find it at this location.

Yet Another Cry for Help!

   I am about one and a half pages shy of finishing the next issue of The Aethergraph.

   I could sure use some help with an article or two. I already have the following features:

• Clive's Register (Teaser: it's a famous engineer.)
• Reginald's Regiments
• Diary of a Texican
• Verne's Armory
• plus an Adventuring Company for IHMN

So, the sorts of things that I would love to see would be

• Short Fiction
• A new creature or alien race with stats for any game system you like
• VSF Adventure Hooks
• House Rules - again, for whatever system you prefer
• A Battle Report, preferably with photos
• Artwork
• Game Reviews (Dystopian Wars? Dystopian Legions? Empire of the Dead?)

So, anything you have - throw it at me!

Pardon me, sir, but some gentlemen have arrived.

   Some indeterminate amount of time ago, I participated in the crowdfunding (via Kickstarter) of some miniatures for the Empire of the Dead game. I don't currently play Empire of the Dead (hereon, EotD), but I liked the figures for the Requiem expansion, so I bought in to the project. Naturally, as with most Kickstarter projects, everything was delayed, partly by the number of stretch goals reached and partly by the problems that spring up in any project. Not being in a tearing hurry, I was for the most part okay with it. When I duly received my package of lead, I was quite pleased with the contents.

   I started painting up the Lycaons first, which I believe have made previous appearances here. Now I am working on the Gentlemen's Club. I can absolutely see me making an Adventuring Company for IHMN out of these figures as well. I chose a theme color of blue for this faction. Thus, the Sapphire Club of Marylebone was born!

I am particularly fond of the Clockwork Butler.

Members of the Sapphire Club.

More Sapphirians. I like the fellow in smoking jacket and fez a lot.

The fellow in the overcoat is actually a club porter, not a member.

As if such a ruffian could be a member!

   One thing that I didn't like to paint, but which I think looks 'right' for these figures is the preponderance of black. Black trousers, black coats, black toppers. Not as bad as all white (snow blind me, will ye, ye damned Napoleonic Austrians?!?!), but still. I am glad I went for a brighter blue to help break the monochromatic issue.

   I have two more members to paint up (currently on the table) and that will be mostly that for this faction. I am finishing up what I think is the last of the Lycaons as well. He's just a human servitor, a hunter with a crossbow. After that, who knows? Maybe finish up the latest unit of automatons, which I have five completed and five remaining...

Cards for IHMN - A Useful Tool

  I downloaded a free Magic Card Editor program a few years ago. I don't play Magic: The Gathering any more, but the program is very useful for making reference cards for gaming. I have used it previously for GASLIGHT units, and now I am making a set of cards for In Her Majesty's Name.

This is a Talent card. It gives the rules and point costs for a Talent.

I have all the published Talents done.

This is a Beast card.

I am making one for each creature in the published Bestiaries.

A Character card.

I have finished Lord Curr's Company, the Servants of Ra, and

the Mechanickal Menace (Automatons).

Mystic Powers.

Phase, Range, Duration, Save, Effect, and points cost.

   If you like these, the program is free. You can get it here.