Against my better judgement - new acquisitions

The trouble with painting figures is, you always want more. In the last couple of weeks I've been going over all my old projects and deciding which ones to finish. I have a lot of old projects backed up and I need to stop adding to the pile of unfinished models before I start anything new. Right now I am working on my Teutonic paratroopers; the 'Black Arrows'. These were bought almost a decade ago and were used in the very first Rocketman campaign games, and yet they were largely unpainted. Since I plan on using them again soon, I decided to complete the job and get them all done in nice new camouflaged uniforms. The only problem is, I quickly found they need some transport too and duly ordered two Horch 1A schwerer geländegängiger  from Warlord Games. This wasn't quite what I had had in mind when I started but the next thing I realised was I didn't have the necessary figures to provide mobile fire support, so I was obliged to order another MG-34 team from Black Tree (where I'd bought my original figures).

Now I'm looking at another of those Horch 1As which could be used as a staff car, as Warlord have one with its soft top up... and there is also a version with a 2cm AA gun which looks very seductive!

K4 heavy tanks

I don't think I've ever posted pictures of my entire K4 platoon, and since I am feeling expansive; here they are;

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The K4 is a fictious Soviet design, based on the UK/US Mark VIII 'Liberty' tank, or at least thats how I've used it in the Rocketman games. In actual fact these models are actually Indiana Jones toys from Disney which I have slightly modified for use in 28mm wargaming. The first toy was given to me about eight or nine years ago by some one from the old Wargames on the Web forum who had been to Florida and seen the toy in Disney World, but alas my memory serves me poorly and I forget who it was (was it you Paul?) I bought three more of them on e-bay as the years passed. These were my first 28mm tanks (except for a 1/48 FT-17), and they were a lot of fun to rebuild and use. If you can find them they are very easy to convert.

The fourth model has been converted to be a command tank - and it hasn't been quite finished yet. 

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The Suffolk Tank

Here are a few pictures of my recently finished, fictious tank; the 'Suffolk'.

Painted in African camouflage, the Suffolk is meant to be a secret American tank, designed and built as part of a classified weapons programme in the early 1920s but then due to neferious political machinations, later sold off as surplus to an African rebellion in 1937. The idea is that after WW1 the Americans were worried about the possibility of a conflict with Britain and given the large Canadian border, and Britain's superiority in armoured fighting vehicles at the time, various rich and politically powerful Americans initiated a secret tank building conspiracy. From this came the Suffolk assault tank, the Thunderbolt infantry support tank (as yet still under construction) and the aforementioned Ford Liberty tankette. At the time the Rocketman games take place, these tanks have all become usefully obsolete and through some convenient military industrial connivance, available for sale to a budding African nation which is rapidly taking over the Belgian Congo and seeks to liberate/annex French Equatorial Africa. The big idea is the possibility of games pittiing my French tanks against these American-Africans.

Armed with a hull mounted 75mm gun, the Suffolk is an assaut tank designed to lend support to the 'Thunderbolt' infantry support tanks. For protection to the flanks, the Suffolk also has two side mounted .30 machine guns.

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RM12.2 Attach Bayonets!

Our first skirmish game of 2015 and almost the first in twelve months too. Rocketman campaign 12 continues, with 12.2 carrying on where 12.1 left off

Molokski stares through the smoke in disbelief. All the tanks have been hit by the enemy and even the mighty T-35 is now a useless smoking hulk. He glances about his men and sees them staring back at him with worried faces.
”Where is Commisar Puchinkin?” he asks
”Comrade Puchinkin is dead” says a rifleman pointing back at a smouldering corpse.
Molokski curses his bad luck and glances towards the strange men from Moscow. With their pale skins and unusual equipment he finds them unusually unsettlig. Their leader, Kapustin has gathered his remaining troops aroud him and is issuing orders with no regard to Molokski and his men. Something akin to anger sparks to life in Molokski’s breast and he beckons to his riflemen to come closer.
”Listen boys” he says in a low voice. ”Those Kremlin bastards don’t give a shit about us, so we’re going to attack in our own way. Gather up all the grenades you can find and follow me”.
For a second, Molokski fears they will refuse but he is gratified to see that though his men exchange glances, they quickly do as ordered.  As they moved quietly about the smoking rubble, he grabs one by the arm.
”Not you Fyodor. You are our fastest runner. I want you to run back to the staging post and tell the Colonel what has taken place here. Tell him we need more men as soon as possible. Okay?”
Fyodor nods happily, no doubt grateful to be leaving the battle. He spurts back intot he dusky smoke.
”Where is that man going?” Major Kapustin’s sinister voice comes from just behind Moloski. He turns and stares at the pale face and cold eyes of the officer.
”I sent him for reinforcements ...sir”
Kapustins eyes watch the running man and for a few bizarre seconds, Moloski wonders if the Muscovite is going to have Fyodor shot, but then the tall man brings his eyes back to the burly sergeant.
”Your men will attack from the right” he states. Then without any further interest he turns and strides back to his own group.
”What kind of a strange man is he?” Molokski wonders, but his returning riflemen pull his attention back to the present.
”Sergeant, sir, I found Belinsky’s machine gun!” one of them grins as he holds up a Degtyaraov light machine gun.
”Good, good!” Molokski slaps the man on the shoulder. He half turns to peer through the rubble at the warehouse, the ruined tanks and the old tank factory.
”Listen boys. Heres my plan...”


On the far side of the battle field, Yuri Mosolov wipes at a minor head wound. That damned Polikarpov had sent splinters flying in every direction and his forehead and right cheek had stopped one. Luckily it had been only a glancing blow, but probing the wound with tender fingers he fears his good looks have suffered and his mind continually wanders back to the girl named Natasja who lived in Omsk. 
”Sir! Sir?” the voice of the man in front of him forces Yuri to focus his mind.
”What?”
”The tanks sir. They’ve moved off to the west.”
Yuri peers through the smoke and dust trying to remember his objectives. ”What about the enemy?” he asks.
”Their tanks have withdrawn sir. The way to the warehouse is clear. Should we advance?”
Yuri blinks as blood runs into his eye. Irritated he wipes it away, but the eyes of the man facing him seem troubled.
”Its nothing” he mumbles. ”Just a scratch”. 
”As you say sir”
Climbing to his feet, Yuri looks about him. Most of the men around him are wounded or dead. He frowns. Is this the aid station?
”Where is Kopylov?” he demands
”The Lieutenant is with the men sir” the soldier replies. It suddenly dawns on Yuri that he has been out of the fight and that Kopylov has taken command in his stead. Indignation and anger course through his body and straightening his dusty uniform tunic, he makes his way toward the twenty or so men he sees clustered together up ahead. In their midst, staring towards the dust and smoke of the distant tanks, stands Kopylov scratching the back of his head.
”Sir!” one of the men springs to his side with a concerned face.
”I’m fine. Its nothing. Just a scratch. Kopylov. Why the hell are you just standing here?”
”The tanks sir...” Kopylov gestures but falls silent upon seeing his commanders face.
”Fuck the tanks!” Yuri pulls out his pistol. ”Take the warehouse  now before the traitors get the weapon!”
The men scramble to their feet. One pulls out his bayonet and attaches it to his rifle.
”Thats the spirit Kropotkin!” Yuri shouts above the din of battle, grateful to have remembered the man’s name.  ”All of you do the same. Attach bayonets and follow me!”

STARTING

With the tanks having either destroyed each other or moved into fighting positions further afield, the infantry are left to finish the battle for the wharehouse.  Both sides start on their side of the table, not closer than 12 inches from the warehouse.

VICTORY CONDITIONS 

 Loss of two thirds of one side results in automatic loss, otherwise victory is determined by control of the warehouse at the end of the game. 

PLAYER ONE (Jan)
Major Kapustin
5 x Aglatean Guards with rifles.
2 x Agaltean Guards with SMGs.
Aglatean Guard with LMG. 

PLAYER TWO (Stephen)
Sgt Molokski
10 x Soviet infantry with rifles (one grenade each).
Soviet infantry with LMG

PLAYER THREE (Palle)
Yuri Mosolov
10 x Black Guard infantry with rifles (one grenade each).
Black Guard infantry HMG

PLAYER FOUR (Goeg)
Lt Kopylov
10 x Black Guard infantry with rifles (one grenade each).
Black Guard Infantry LMG

Ford-Liberty M1920A1

...and I'm back!

I haven't had anything worth posting about for a good long while since I've been pretty down in the dumps for the most part of 2014, and working too. Over Christmas however, I got down to some modelling and amongst other things, built myself a fictional tankette. I call it the Ford-Liberty M1920A1 and its meant to be secret American evolution of the Ford 3 ton tank for future Rocketman games. The last two images show the tank finished, next to my previous model, the 'Suffolk tank'.

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RM12.1 The Return of the Black Guards

Conclusion 

This game was played on 22 February 2014.
Players were Jan, Andreas, Goeg and Palle.

For convenience, I shall refer to the left and right flanks as seen from the perspective of the map.

Both sides deployed across their edge of the table with the Black Guards (Palle and Goeg) deploying their tanks at once. Goeg positioned his first tank on the left flank, guarding the forest road, and he placed his second tank on the parallel road, facing towards the bombed out tank factory. Palle placed both his heavy tanks in the open ground of the far right flank, using the trees as partial cover and left his light tank to cover the ruins of the centre. Andreas placed his commander's tank in the trees facing Goeg's tank on the left flank. He left his second tank off map. Jan placed all three of his tanks in the centre ground of the railway siding. Palle and Goeg concentrated their infantry behind the central ruins whilst Jan and Andreas spread their infantry between the centre and left flank. Most all of Andreas' men were on the left flank.

Firing commenced with Goeg opening up a barrage against Andreas' forces on the left flank. Having established that the T-28 was impervious to his K4's guns, Goeg turned his attention to the infantry. He kept up a prolonged barrage that lasted for most of the game and which, despite their using cover to their best advantage, eventually annihilated a large proportion of Andrea's foot soldiers. Jan's Aglatean infantry hesitated for lack of movement points and were unable to move much from beyond their initial starting ground.

 Both sides held their ground cautiously for most of the first half of the game. Palle and Goeg were wary of the T-35's greater fire power, and Jan and Andreas were out numbered. The T-35 dominated the central ground but largely by default as it wasn't really being challenged. Eventually Goeg moved his second K4 heavy tank up the central road but Jan countered this with his light tanks, blocking the road and using the flame thrower tank to set fire to the tank factory building.

Palle edged his two tanks closer up the right flank in order to find a way of combating the T-35, but this was countered by Andreas who brought his second T-28 onto the map, behind the rail workers shack (not actually shown on the map as it was a later addition) on the far right flank. Trying to establish a lethal cross fire was very much the order of the day with both sides having difficulty bringing enough guns to bear to do any serious damage.

With both sides idling in an apparent Mexican stand off, Andreas then played his joker, a Polikarpov I-16 with six underwing rockets and twin 20mm cannon. He deployed his aircraft against Palle's tanks which were close enough together to bring them both within the rockets damage radius. Unfortunately Andreas rolled badly (both sides were plagued with poor dice rolls all day) and the joker failed. Palle continued to edge for a good firing position with both sides trading ineffectual shots across the right flank.

 Eventually Goeg brought his second K4 far enough up the central road to threaten the T-35 from the left. Palle brought both his tanks up and threatened from the right. It looked for a while as if the T-35 might be knocked out, allowing the Black Guards to secure the centre. Whilst this was happening however, Jan's two light tanks were moving in and around the centre with the twin turreted T-26 engaging the infantry who were trying to close on the storage building (even running some of them over) and the Kht-26 flamethrower tank moving right around the left flank to approach from the rear.

The game ended before either side could deliver a decisive attack and the end result was a narrow victory to the Black Guards, largely thanks to the initial bombardment of Andrea's infantry by Goeg's command tank on the left flank.

I think we had a good game and fun was had by all. I missed Oleg's presence, but in a way he was with us in spirit as the tank factory was one of his models I had completed, and then named after him. There will be a smaller follow up game in the next few weeks but Andreas was only with us for the one session unfortunately as he lives in Oslo. 

RM12.1 The Return of the Black Guards

The last RM game was played on 29th August. 2012. The next will be played on 22 February. 2014.

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Guhan Lo. Aksai Chin. 1937.

Viktor Korsakov  sits on the rear veranda of a small chinese compound, facing across a broad valley. Far below this vantage point, peasants work in the rice paddies and sipping tea he watches the distant figures with pondering eyes. It has been almost a year since his defeat at Qala I Zal and during his recovery he has had plenty of time to dream up plans of revenge against the english agent known as Rocketman. In the valley below, a line of dust marks the approach of a motor car. Korsakov reaches across for the binoculars which stand beside his tea pot and his sumise proves correct; the automobile belongs to his subordinate Yuri Mosolov. Korsakov sighs heavily and laying aside the binoculars, he turns his eyes to the sky line on the far side of the valley. Yuri will want commands, he will expect vigour and action – but Korsakov feels his age now and the wounds he received at Qala I Zal trouble him still. He wonders what he can do.
Fifteen minutes later, as Yuri’s vehicle comes to a halt amid a cloud of dust, Korsakov has made up his mind. He struggles to his feet as his subordinate approaches and salutes briskly. Yuri salutes in return. He is carrying a briefcase.
”How do you feel sir?” he asks as he snaps open the locks.
”Today I feel much better Yuri” Korsakov smiles and Yuri glances up in surprise.
”I am happy to hear that” He begins, but Korsakov holds up a hand and interupts.
”I have come to a decision about my life Yuri, and perhaps you may not be so happy when you hear what I have to say.” Yuri frowns, but remains silent. Thoughts begin to flash through his mind.
”I am never going back to Russia. I know that now” Korsakov’s eyes move from Yuri’s and gaze without focus across the valley. ”I am too broken. Too old and indifferent with the affairs of state.”
Yuri swallows and leans forward but he finds he has too many questions and not enough words. It is as if he suddenly has no voice.
”But what of the men?” he finally manages to ask. ”What of our plans?”
”I do not know” Korsakov replies. ”What do you wish to do Yuri? Do you want to carry on? Will you take my place? They are more your men now than mine – I hardly know any of them any more”.
Yuri nods for this is the simple truth - Throughout the last year, as the Black Guards have fought along side their allies in Aksai Chin, he has shouldered all the burdens of command. Whilst Korsakov has largely rested in this peaceful retreat, he has continued the fight against the British imperialists. It is not really a question of whether or not he should take command, in essence he is already the commander of the Black Guards. He stands up and straightens his uniform coat.
”Very well then Viktor Alexandrovich. I relieve you of command and I will continue the fight.” Korsakov smiles.
”What will you do now Yuri?”
Yuri looks down at his former superior for a moment. His thoughts are whirling fast and furious, but he is certain of one thing. ONB7 must regain its former technological advantage if it is to have any hope of competing with the current Soviet government.
”I will return to Kazakhstan.”
”Why?” Korsakov asks. ”What is left in Kazakhstan?”
”Colonel Gromov and his men were very thorough when they looted the aerodrome at Bolshenarymskoe, and the British agent Mansfield made sure the death ray was completely destroyed so that the Soviets could not get their hands on it, but neither of them knew about the prototype, nor did they know about the secret storage facility at Tromsk. We still have one hundred and twelve heavy tanks stored there.”
”But no crews – no trained men” Korsakov points out.
”This is true – but I have enough men to take a squadron or two of tanks and secure Bolshenarymskoe long enough to recover the Tesla weapon. Once we have the weapon, we can remove it to one of the secure installations we still have in Krasnoyarsk.”
”You will need some one who can understand it – some one like Khalnikov – without such a man, it is of no more use than a type writer.” Yuri nods again.
”There is a man – a German called Heisenberg who took the Nobel prize in ’32. My sources inform me he is one of the few men who understands the scientific principles behind the death ray. Once we have secured the weapon, we will procure this man and set him to work upon a replacement.”
The two men consider this plan for a moment, then Korsakov sighs and picks up his tea cup. ”It is a good plan I think – as long as you can secure Bolshenarymskoe long enough to retrieve the prototype weapon. Good luck Yuri. You will need it I think.”
Yuri Mosolov turns to leave, then pauses. ”I will need a good title - to inspire the men. ’Director’ sounds much too limited. What do you suggest?”
Korsakov thinks for a moment then suggests; ”Da Yuan Shuai?”
”What is that?”
”It is the Chinese, for what the Italians call a Generalissimo – a Supreme General”.

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The Kremlin. Moscow.

The creature known to the humans as Stalin sits at a large wide desk, reading a report from it’s subordinate Yezhov; the head of the NKVD. Having digested the unpleasant information offered, it picks up the receiver of a dull blue telephone upon its desk. ”Kapustin” it says and then ends the call.
Fifteen minutes later, a second creature, as pale and ominous as Stalin enters the office. It does not speak, but merely stands facing the desk and its denizen.
”Yezhov has detected a threat. For some time now, Victor Korsakov has had spies probing our scientific assets, searching amongst them for specialists and it seems probable he wishes to rebuild the energy weapon he lost in 1936.  Korsakov’s field commander Yuri Mosolov has now been detected approaching the site of the original weapon with a force of heavy tanks. Take some of our soldiers, go there at once and annhilate them.”


Player one - Jan
Major Kapustin / T35 heavy tank
Kht-26 flamethrower tank.
T-28 light tank.
6 x Aglatean Guards with rifles. 2 x Agaltean Guards with SMGs. 2 x Aglatean Guards with LMGs. 

Player two - Andreas
Sgt Moloksi /T28 Medium tank
1 x T28 Medium tank.
10 x Soviet infantry with rifles (one grenade each). 1 x Soviet infantry with LMG

Player three - Palle
Yuri Mosolov/ K4d command tank.
1 x K4 heavy tank.
1 x K1 light tank.
10 x Black Guard infantry with rifles (one grenade each). 1 x Black Guard infantry HMG

Player four - Goeg
Lt Kopylov /K4 heavy tank
1 x K4 heavy tank.
1 x RK16 Motor tachanka.
10 x Black Guard infantry with rifles (one grenade each). 1 x Black Guard Infantry LMG

Starting
Having flown to Khazakstan, Kapustin and his personal retainers rendezvous with local Soviet forces and move to Bolshenarymskoe aerodrome with all possible haste. Arriving at the adjoining industrial complex they find the Black Guards already in the vicinity and aerial reconnaisance notes a command group moving rapidly towards a cluster of semi ruined buildings. Kapustin boards his personal tank and sets off to intercept them. Both sides arrive simultaneously.

Both sides begin by placing their infantry elements on table, within 12 inches of the map edge. Cavalry elements begin off table and may come on table at their discretion (one move must be allowed for advance notice unless the element arrives behind cover)


Victory Conditions 
Whom ever controls the storage facility at the end of the game wins.
If neither side has control of the facility at the end of the game, then the side with the least casualties - percent wise, wins.

Vickers, Browning M1919 & MG-34; comparisons

Part 2. Part 3.

I have yet to see a You Tube video where an American admits his own nations fire arm is inferior to that of any other nation.
As far as I can see, the first comparison does not hold up very well at all, since the Browning was developed a good seven years after the Vickers and John Browning had the accumulated experience and knowledge gained from World War One at his disposal. In essence this is like comparing a Hawker Hurricane to an F-86 Sabre jet and when you take that into account then I think the Vickers equals the Browning, for all its perceived flaws.

As for the second comparion, I can't see that there is much to talk about. The M1919A4 did its job, but this is another unfair comparison  and when compared to the MG-34 (designed a full decade after the M1919) it is entirely out classed in just about every aspect. 



Part 2.

Casting project update: 12 ton medium tank turret

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Work continues, slowly but surely. Here is the basis for the first turret, done in aluminium by my brother Peter. I'm now working on the track assembly again, redoing the hinges; the metal wire hinges started to fall off as I'd used polystyreme cement to glue them on. I should have used something stronger, but epoxy glues are really too messy for multiple small parts in my opinion. This time around, I'm using 0.5mm plastic rod. I'm also adding all the rivets, and when thats done, the track assembly should be ready for my first attempt at making a mold. There is the second turret (and a second hull) planned too, but there is no hurry to get them done. Peter is making the second turret and says I should have it by August 23rd. 

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They have a tank!

Only a few years too late for me, but here is the Indy tank which I have used as the K4 heavy tank in my Rocketman games (I used converted Disney toys). Its fresh from Copplestone Casting where it sells for £38 under the name Mark IX Beast Super-Heavy Tank.

Casting project update: 12 Ton Medium Tank

Here is a size comparision showing my '12 ton medium' tank model against Coppestone Castings' Vickers Mk II, upon which it is loosely based. The idea is, this tank model will share two turret variations with another model, both of which can be seen in my previous posts. For the pupose of this image, I balanced the running board on the track assembly, so its sitting rather low. It should be about 2mm higher up. Currently I'm working on the rear hull plate and trying to decide how to do the exhaust pipe which is meant to hang on the back. The question is, whether or not to add it to the hull or have it as a seperate element. If its stuck on the hull, it might prevent the finished casting from leaving the mold.

1930's turret designs

When I can find the time (and when I'm not being distracted by Battlefield 3) I'm still working on my medium tank casting project, and I've reached the post design stage for the turret. That is to say, I've drawn up my designs and am now ready for construction. My brother Peter (who is a precision engineer) has offered to help me by shaping some aluminium for the underlying structure, so I've made technical drawings of the two designs I have in mind. The project has two different hulls and two different turrets, and these can interchanged with each other, giving the possibility of three seperate tank models. The track assembly is the same for all variants.

Tank turrets in the 1930's came in all shapes and sizes. Since there hadn't been any major tank conflicts to influence design, many ideas which seemed good in theory were tried out. The most popular designs were cylindrical for obvious reasons, and hundreds of variants of the tapering cylinder or dome turret design were made. I've looked mainly to the Vickers designs for inspiration, since they produced so many prototypes in the mid war period.

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Above. From left to right; Light Tank Model 1936. Light amphibious tank A4 E12. Vickers Wolseley WT
Below; Vickers 6 ton light tank. A6 Medium Tank (not to be confused with the Medium Mk III). Vickers 'Independent' A1E1.

RM8.1 part 2

Part two of this game was played on Wednesday 23 May. 2012.

Players were Jan, Oleg, Palle and Goeg.

The table top in the first round. Daniel Mansfield knocks out Jean Paul Chevrotin

The game resumed exactly where it had left off, in the immediate aftermath of Pierre Boulez having shot a police officer in the back. Panic, shouts and screams followed and Pierre Boulez began to run away from the scene of the shooting. The second police officer, who had been on the far side of the crashed truck, had not seen who shot, so when he came around the back of the crashed vehicle, he was confronted with no obvious culprit, except the nearest man running away. His suspicions were compounded when Peladon took the chance to distract the police officer, pointed to Boulez and shouted "It was him!"

"Stop or I shoot!" the second police officer draws his revolver on Boulez.

The police officer drew his service revolver and shouted at Boulez to stand still or he would shoot...

Inside the institute Daniel Mansfield chased Jean Paul Chevrotin to the top of the stairs and gave him such an uppercut that he knocked the Frenchie out cold and took his Thompson sub machinegun. 

Aruba drives his van over the second police officer

Unfortunately for the police officer, Aruba was sitting on the van in the dark alley, and realising what was happening, he drove the van at the police officer, ran him over and crashed in a taxi which had stopped behind the crashed truck. Steam began to pour from the smashed van's radiator.

Die rolls indicated the reactions of the passersby and most conformed to the French stereotype by fleeing, but one man was brave enough to leap forward and tackle Andre ’Mule’ Valençay.

Wanda pulls her warm little pistol from its hiding place in between her thighs

In the main room of the institutue Wanda Jolivet pulled out her pistol and ordered every one to get away from the mask. At first people complied but Daniel Mansfield entered the room and disarmed her.

Meanwhile, in the institute hallway, a free for all had erupted which saw Anna Parrot and Theophilus Dupuis come to Doctor Schlumberger's aid, only to be beaten to the ground by Gallois-Montbrun and Valençay, who were then in turn defeated by Daniel Mansfiel.

 Rocketman cleans up

With people running around shouting and screaming, Marcel pulled out his rifle and took a shot at one man who was running past his car. This additional gun shot caused even more pandamonium but didn't have any greater impact on the game. The man being shot at, barely registered the fact and just kept running.


Two more police officers, armed with sub-machineguns, emerged from the police station, and tried to grab Boulez, but the quick footed criminal dodged the flat footed coppers and ran back down the alley. The policemen didn't give chase, for standing in the street they beheld the full scene of chaos and noted one of their own downed companions (the other being obscured by the van which was on top of him).


Aruba jumped out of the crashed van and paused by the truck. A woman who had been on the pavement, shouted that she had seen Aruba crash the van into the police officer and the taxi driver eyed the African suspiciously. Aruba climbed into the truck cab and tried to start it, but the truck was firmly wedged between two other vehicles. The two police officers caught sight of Aruba.

Aruba tries to hide in the truck cab

Boulez entered the rear door of the institute, but it was already too late to help the others. Grabbing a pretty young lady hostage to prevent any one from trying to stop him, he made his get away.

The game ended as a defeat for players one and two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EPILOGUE

"This is the last party I shall attend at your insttute!" Professor Foing shouts at Doctor Schlumberger as he helps Anna Parrot to her feet. "What kind of circus are you running here?"
People help each other to their feet and revitalizing wine is passed to those in dire need of recuperation. Outside the police are busy arresting every one in the street and an ambulance has arrived to assist the wounded police officers.
"Who on Earth were those people?" Audrey asks.
"Where's the mask?" Doctor Schlumberger gasps in surprise as he staggers back into the front room.
Every one stares at the broken glass of the display case and then Daniel Mansfield clutches Schlumberegers arm.
"And where is Percy?"
Consternation breaks out as every one searches high and low for the young man, but there is no sign of either him nor the mask.
"Do you think he did a runner?" Marcel Messnier asks Daniel as they search the institute roof top.
"No" Daniel replies tersely. Those hoodlums were after the mask, and I think they took Percy too!"
Gabriel Messnier enters onto the roof top.
"How is your ankle?" Daniel asks.
"Eager for revenge" the young Corsican replies. "Listen. I have a good idea who might be behind this but I have to check with some people I know. Shall I ask?"
Daniel exchanges a smile with Marcel.
"Oh yes. Certainly. And you shall have your chance to pay these blighters back I promise you."
Marcel nods and Gabriel leaves with a grim smile of eager satisfaction on his handsome Corsican face.

RM8.1 (Pt 1) CONCLUSION

Part one of this game was played on Wednesday16 May. 2012.
Players were Jan, Oleg, Palle and Goeg.

 

 The game begins. 

The game began with Oleg bringing his elements on from the eastern end of the table. Marcel Pélardon was on foot on the park side of the road and the rest were in a van which they drove around the back of Doctor Schlumberger’s institute where Jean Paul Chevrotin and Wanda Jolivet quickly moved to examine the rear of the building where they found all the lights in the building were on and the glass in the windows was thicker than usual. They moved to the rear door which Chevrotin easily picked open.

 

Chevrotin and Jolivet breaking in through the back door.

 On the street, Pélardon approached a vendor on the pretence of loitering to buy a news paper but he was surprised to find himself engaged in conversation by a passer-by. Pierre Boulez and Henri Gallois-Montbrun also left the van and moved to the front of the building where Gallois-Montbrun posed as a telegraph messenger to gain entrance to Schlumberger’s institute. He was stopped by the door man who then went to find Doctor Schlumberger.

Chevrotin and Jolivet gained entrance to the house and began to loiter in the rear passageway. Making her way to the WC, Audrey Mansfield encountered Jolivet but did not find her suspicious. Chevrotin went upstairs to scout around and noticed several other guests standing around talking and listening to grammaphone records. No one paid any attention to him, nor noticed that Chevrotin had a submachine gun under his coat.

The Truck Crash.

Meanwhile, out on the street, Pélardon ran across the road to Boulez but in doing so, he caused a truck to swerve and crash into the rear of  parked car. The truck driver (a Pole) jumped out and began to argue with Pélardon. This alerted the neighbouring police officers and a constable stepped out to investigate.
People began to gather to see what was going on and eventually a second police officer emerged from the building.

People gather at the scene of the truck crash.
Pélardon is to the left of the police officer, with Boulez lurking at the corner of the building.

 
Doctor Schlumberger told his door-man to sign for the telegram and bring it to him, but when the door-man returned, Gallois-Montbrun refused to hand over the telegram unless it was personally signed for by Schlumberger so the door-man returned to the Doctor's office where Schlumberger was proudly showing his fire-arms collection to Daniel Mansfield and Marcel Messnier and Schlumberger was obliged to go to the door. Irritated he did so and signed for the telegram.

Chevrotin came down the stairs again and producing his sub machine gun stood in the doorway to the main room where the mask was on display. In a calm but determined voice, he told every one to get up against the door to the office, but due to the music and noise of conversation, no one heard him, except Daniel Mansfield, who was standing in the office. Unfortunately, Mansfield does not speak French and although he understood the tone of voice , he didn't know what was being said.


Doctor Schlumberger was standing in directly behind Chevrotin however and he did understand so he turned and grabbed the sub machne gun and the two men began to tussle for control of the weapon. Seeing this, Gallois-Montbrun put his revolver to Doctor Schlumberger's head, but in turn, he was attacked by Anna Parrot who swung her hand bag at his head. At the same time Gabriel Messnier (who had also over heard Chevrotin) jumped over the bannister in an attempt at attacking Gallois-Montbrun from above. He fumbled his attack however and twisting his ankle, collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Daniel Mansfield moved to the rear passage to investigate what was going on in the foyer but found his way blocked by the door-man who after a moment of indecision, was vainly attempting to assist his master.

Pierre Boulez was still loitering in the street, smoking a cigarette and watching the argument heat up around the crashed truck. Realising something untoward was taking place in the foyer he peered through the window and saw the ensuing struggle. Pulling out his pistol, he shot one of the investigating police officers in the back...

The game stopped at this point as it was 2300. The rest of the game is planned for next wednesday.

The situation inside the Institute at the end of the game.
The red counter is the door-man.

RM8.1 'Heist'

RM8. THE LAND OF THE WITCH QUEEN

23 March. 1937.

Some where deep below London, twelve men sit in a comfortable room, around a round table, listening to one of their number.
”There are three new and significant centres of military industrial production in the world today, that is to say, new to us. The first, and smallest, is at Limpopo where, for the last decade or so, a tribe of Africans have secretly been building weaponry, for which to wage rebellion against Belgian colonial rule. As far as we can ascertain, the Limpopo complex was began in 1928, when the current tribal leader came to power. Her name is Tanta Muzuzu, and prior to ascending the throne of her tribe, the Nonons, she was educated in Europe, both here and in France. She studied medicine and philosophy, and proved to be a highly intelligent student. Upon her return to Africa, she set about recruiting people from all over the world.”
One of the men, a well dressed gentleman wearing an old fashioned, double breasted suit, leans forward and clears his throat.
”Does this woman present any threat to the British Empire?”
”Currently, no, but should she succeed in over throwing the Belgians, then she may, eventually become our concern.”
”Over thow the Belgians?” another man asks with a raised eye brow. ”Is that likely?”
The speaker turns to the man on his right.
”Sir Hugh?”
”It is possible” Sir Hugh Sinclair replies. ”Tanta Muzuzu has gone to some considerable lengths to strengthen her tribe. She has recruited quite a few engineers, including several experts in weapon manufacture. One man in particular has given the Nonons a unique advantage over the Belgian colonial authorities. Jean Pierre Morbier is, or rather was, a French tank designer who worked for Renault during the Great War. Later he helped design some of the more ambitious French tanks, but he was fired in 1929, partly because of the economic climate, and partly because he had married a Senegalese woman, a negress, and had made himself unpopular by calling for an end to French colonial rule. Tanta Muzuzu seems to have recruited Morbier that same year for he left France along with his wife and children, within weeks, and set about converting an old railway yard into a tank factory.”
A portly, florid faced gentleman with large ginger, mutton-chop sideburns interupts Sir Hugh at this point with an exclamation of amazement.
”Are you saying that an African tribe has been building French tanks?”
”As far as we can make out, Morbier has only built one tank, but even one tank in central Congo tips the balance of power against the Belgians who have nothing but Askari infantry to meet such a challenge. I don’t think I need to explain how ineffective Askaris would be against a tank do I?”
There is a general mutter about the table and after having looked around the assembled faces, Sir Hugh continues.
”Our latest intercepts from the Congo reveal desperation from the regional government, and the Belgians are sending some heavy guns to try to counter Morbier’s tank since Belgium itself doesn’t even have any tanks as big as the one Morbier has built.”
”Just how big is it?” the gentleman in the old fashioned suit asks.
”We don’t know with any certainty, but the Belgians themselves are talking of a vehicle in excess of forty tons.”
”Forty tons!” The florid faced man exclaims. ”Great Scott, but thats even heavier than anything we have!”
”How heavy is our heaviest tank?” another man asks.
”The new Vickers weighs about thirty five tons I believe” Sir Hugh replies. ”Gentlemen, I know it sounds incredible, but there is reason to believe the estimate is accurate. The Belgians have already suffered defeat in several skirmishes with this tank which the locals have taken to calling la bête noir”.
”How could an African tribe build something like this? Even with the help of a French designer, it sounds absurd!”
Sir Hugh shakes his head.
”Morbier didn’t build this tank. He only designed it. The construction seems to have been carried out by a team of American engineers over the course of several years. I mentioned earlier that Tanta Muzuzu had recruited experts from abroad. A sizable portion of her recruits were experienced negro engineers from the United States. Using an abanoned foundry in the old railway yard at Limpopo, these man were able to realise Morbier’s design. They used recycled iron from an old train and a v12 Liberty engine acquired from the black market in the the United States. Their tank may be crude by European standards, but they built bigger to compensate, and with so little competion from the Belgians, their tank remains undefeated...”
The original speaker stands and holds up a hand.
”Gentlmen, as curious as this is, I fear we are straying from the topic. Pray let us return to the matter at hand...”
The men nod and return to their agenda, but several exchange worried glances and after the meeting, the florid faced man approaches Sir Hugh.
”This tank, la bête noir, shouldn’t we send some one to examine it?”
”What for?” Sir Hugh replies. ”It poses no threat to the Empire.”
”Thankfully, no” the other man replies, ”but what if they start building more of them?”
”I don’t think thats likely. For all her efforts, Tanta Muzuzu’s work force is very small and she simply doesn’t have the sort of industrial facilities mass production requires. Furthermore, I’ve seen some of Morbier’s design work and its mostly out dated by modern standards. La bête noir, is hardly more than an up-scaled Renault 17. I’m fairly certain that once the Belgians bring in some heavier weapons, they’ll make short work of it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paris. The Goutte d'Or district, also known as ’Little Africa’. 24 March. 1937.

”They tell me you are the best” the African says.
”I am” the man with the thin moustache replies as he lights a cigarette. ”I can guarantee delivery within forty eight hours.”
”That sounds satisfactory, but there is a condition.”
The man blows out his match and stares at the dark features of his two visitors. His name is Jean Paul Chevrotin but in the Parisian under-world, he is known as ’Le Comté’, and his reputation as a master theif is well deserved. Sitting in the room with him are his two trusted comrades, Marcel ’The Blade’ Pélardon and Andre ’Mule’ Valençay.
”What is the condition?”
The African, who has been introduced to Le Comte as Marcel, smiles, revealing two gold canine teeth.
”We go with you.”
Le Comté shrugs expansively.
”So be it, but if things turn messy, then you must look after yourselves.”
The African’s smile broadens.
”That won’t be a problem.”
”Good” Chevrotin nods. ”Now, give me all the details...”
The African turns to his partner who has stood silently in the back ground.
”Aruba here will explain the job.”
Aruba is short, dark and bespectacled. He steps closer to the table and the naked light bulb forms dark shows under his brow.
”This is the building where the mask is being kept during the reception...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paris. Boulevard Maillot 26th March. 1937

Night draws on as guests arrive at Doctor Schlumberger’s institute with several high standing members of the anthropological and archeological world gathered, especially eager to see the evening’s centre of attention. The famed mask of the ancient Nonon Queens, and the man who discovered it and brought it to Paris.
”I say Percy” Daniel Mansfield’s breath fogs the glass of the exhibit as he examines the celebrated mask. ”How the Dickens did you come by this thing?”
Percy Worthington smiles broadly.
”Oh it was easy enough. I asked a local tribe if they knew where the ancient Nonon Queens were buried, and after a spot of digging, we came across a chamber where lay the blessed relic you see before you.”
”Was that really all there was to it?” Audrey Mansfield asks politely. ”I’m sure you make it sound far too easy. All, that digging in the African sun must have been frightful!”
”I’ll say” Daniel laughs. ”Percy never was one to break out a sweat, eh Perce?”
Percy laughs quietly and sips his drink as he regards his old friend.
”As you say Daniel.”
”Mister Worthington!” a portly old white haired old man in a curious mixture of western and eastern garb hails the English adventurer from across the room. ”Come and meet Professor Foing!”
”Excuse me” Percy murmurs. He makes his way across to the famous Doctor Schlumberger and extends a hand to his friend.
Audrey watches him closely. After a while she turns to Daniel who is trying to read a small plaque, written in French.
”What do you think of Percy?” she asks
”Percy?” Daniel answers with a vague shrug. ”He’s a good egg. A bit soft round the edges, but a good man in a tight corner I always say.”
”He strikes me as being somewhat nervous.” Audrey says. Daniel looks at her face with an inquiring eye.
”Really old girl? What makes you say that?”
”I suppose its just my female intuition, but theres something bothering him I think. Something isn’t quite right.”
Daniel looks back across the room to where Percy is speaking to the two old men with some animation and after a moment or two he catches a glimpse of some deep emotion that seems to momentarily surface through his friend’s jovility. He watches the conversation for a few minutes but sees nothing untoward so turning his attention to the the rest of the room he looks about for any other sign of something being amiss.
”Perhaps he’s just nervous because he is the centre of attention?” he turns to his wife, but Audrey is speaking to a tall French woman with a serious face.
”Mark my words” the woman is saying. ”There will be war in Germany before this decade is out!”
”War?” Daniel asks.
”Yes indeed!” the woman leans forward to emphasise her words. ”Now that horrible Herr Hitler is gone, the communists will rise once more, and not a moment too soon if you ask me!”
”Now, now Gertrude” Doctor Schlumberger interjects as he approaches with fresh drinks. ”These nice young English people didn’t ask you, so please lets not have any politics tonight.”
The tall woman glares at Daniel Mansfield, but her manners prevent her from further indiscretion. She withdraws to a corner and Schlumberger turns to Daniel and Audrey.
”How happy I am to see you both at my little soirée” Schlumberger smiles at Daniel in particular. ”Do you know, iin my youth, I knew your father?”
”Really?” Daniel replies in surprise.
”Yes indeed. We studied together at the Sorbonne and for a while we even shared an apartement in the Latin Quarter. Such fun times we had. He was a good, honest friend.”
”I had no idea..:” Daniel begins, but then a sudden commotion interupts the conversation and the two men turn to the door. ”What the...?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STARTING

Player One. Jean Paul ’Le Comte’ Chevrotin. Andre ’Mule’ Valençay. Wanda Jolivet. Marcel

Player Two. Marcel ’The Blade’ Pélardon. Pierre Boulez. Henri Gallois-Montbrun. Aruba.

Player Three. Daniel Mansfield. Audrey Mansfield. Marcel Messnier. Gabriel Messnier. 2 x Police officer. Random guests.

Player Four. Doctor Schlumberger. Anna Parrot. Professor Foing. Theophilus Dupuis. 2 x Police officer. Random guests.

Players one and two begin the game by planning the heist. In order to do this they are provided with a floor plan of the building, a map of the immediate surroundings and a time table of the evening. They do not receive floor plans of the two adjacent buildings however.

Players three and four start on the table in round one, the time of which is determind by players one and two. Each also receives a number of random guests, how many being determined by the time at which the heist takes place. The police officers will only be alerted if gun fire takes place. All four officers begin the game in the police workshop building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MAP

All out door areas are good. Indoor areas which are not rooms (that is too say staircases, hall ways, corridors etc) are rough. All rooms are difficult (on account of furniture, etc). The tops of buildings and the fire escape are rough.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VICTORY CONDITIONS

Players one and two win the game by three or more elements escaping with the mask. Players three and four win by defeating over five enemy elements.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPECIAL RULES

During the game, neither side is obliged to reveal the identity of any element.

Rocketman has two hero points in this game.

Only two of the guests are carrying a weapon at the beginning of the game (Gabriel Messnier has a stilleto and Theophilus Dupuis has a night stick) but more weapons can be found in the Doctors study where there is a gun cabinet containing two hunting rifles, a shot gun and an 8mm ’Lebel’ revolver.

ROCKETMAN Chronology

Here follows the time line of all ROCKETMAN campaigns thus far;

1935

2 September
At RAF Brookhurst, the immediate staff of Project Meteor are called to a meeting by their chief; Professor Summers who informs them that he intends to undertake the rescue of an old friend, Professor of Archeology, Aaron Rosenblum who has recently made an astonishing discovery somewhere in the desert regions of North Africa but who, as a Jew, has since run into serious trouble with the German authorities. Amongst those present is the former fighter pilot, and now test pilot, Daniel Mansfield, his fiance, Audrey (who is Prof Summer's daughter) and George Macarthur who is the engineer charged with maintenance of the Meteor rocket pack. Also present is a tall gentleman named Sir Gerald Hesketh who has influence at the highest levels of government. Daniel Mansfield agrees to rescue Professor Rosenblum.

6 September
Unbeknownst to Professor Summers, Rosenblum is also being sought by a powerful Prussian organisation known as the Brotherhood of the Black Cross. Headed by Baron Von Schöenberg, the Brotherhood is both independent of the Nazi regime and interested in the discoveries made by Rosenblum in Northern Sudan. Using their airship Graf Frederik, and their elite 'Black Arrow' paratroopers, the Brotherhood abduct Rosenblum from the steamer SS Diana en route to Alexandria.

9 September
Arriving in Alexandria, Mansfield and his companions meet Marcel Messnier who has extensive local contacts. The British learn the SS Diana was diverted to Haifa and Professor Rosenblum has gone missing. With no further place to search for Rosenblum, Mansfield asks Messnier to find the location of Rosenblum's dig hoping to find a clue there.

10 September
Messnier identifies Rosenblum's local guide as an American of dubious reputation, named Joe 'Mad Dog' Mitchell who resides in Alexandria. Only Mitchell knows the exact location of Rosenblum's dig, but the Germans are closing in on Mitchell too. The British act at once and manage to save Mitchell from an assassination attempt.

17 September
Having captured Professor Rosenblum, the Prussians learn of the location of La Vallee Maudite and the Graf Frederik flies south.

28 September
After flying over the endless desert, the Graf Frederik arrives at La Vallee Maudite and unaware of the eastern entrance to the secret cave, the Prussians enter the valley to the west. Here they encounter a variety of horrific giant insects and unusual plants and must fight their way through to the cave entrance.

28 September continued
Unaware that the Prussians have reached the western entrance to the site of Professor Rosenblum's discovery, and as yet still unaware of the nature of the discovery, Daniel Mansfield and his companions battle the scorching desert, and a few bandits along the way, to reach the eastern entrance (as identified by 'Mad Dog' Mitchell).

29 September
Entering the secret caves from either end, the British and the Prussians encounter each other and naturally a fight breaks out. At the same time, the denizens of the caves, hideous giant insects with psionic abilities attempt to defend their home from this unwanted intrusion. Eventually, Daniel Mansfield penetrates the insect's egg chamber and here he comes into contact with a strange, lurid ball of glowing energy that hangs in the air. Bewildered touches the energy ball and it passes into his body, envigorating him and confering super human senses and stamina upon him.

~~~~~~~~

4 November
Sir Hugh Sinclair replaces Sir Gerald Hesketh as Head of Project Meteor.

1936

23 February.
MI6 Section VIII intercepts a strange radio transmission from a hitherto unknown German base on Franz Josef Land.

29 February.
The SS Kristianna Maria leaves Norway and heads north for the polar ice pack. On board are Daniel Mansfield, Audrey Summers, Professor Summers, George Macarthur and five German agents with numerous Norwegian conspirators.

12 March.
Rocketman and his companions arrive at Ice Station X on Rudolf Island. They find the installation has been over run by zombies and the original German personnel are all dead, except for the notorious Doctor Metzger. After a terrible fight for survival, Rocketman and his companions leave Metzger to his fate and return to London.

~~~~~~~~

9 April.
Whilst enjoying a holiday aboard the yacht Starling in the Adriatic. Audrey Summers is kidnapped by a Bolshevik agent named Yuri. For her return, Professor Summers is ordered to hand over the Meteor rocket pack to a secret Soviet science bureau named ONB7.

1 May.
Daniel Mansfield, George Macarthur and 'Mad Dog' Mitchell arrive in Yekaterinburg and whilst buying tickets for the train to Omsk, stumble across Yuri on the same train. A gun fight erupts with the train guards, having been bribed, taking the side of the British against what they perceive to be ‘foreign militia’s’.

3 May.
Having defeated, but failed to capture Yuri on the train, Rocketman and his companions arrive in Omsk where they meet with a local British agent; Lady Carfax. Here they learn that ONB7 is a renegade militia that has broken from Moscow and the rule of Josef Stalin and is trying to reestablish the Bolshevik revolution by means of secret weaponry and black mail. Lady Carfax introduces the adventurers to 'The Colonel', who agrees to ally himself with Rocketman in order to defeat ONB7, and its leader Viktor Korsakov, aka, 'The Iron Czar'.

4 May.
Rocketman and his companions attempt to rescue Audrey Summers from the clutches of Korsakov's Uighur side kick, Olga, but find she has been moved to a secret ONB7 base in Eastern Kazakhstan where the rebel Bolsheviks have built a terrifying energy weapon so powerful it can threaten Moscow with destruction!

11 May.
With soldiers and armoured cars under the command of The Colonel, Rocketman and his companions infiltrate the outer regions of the ONB7 base and discover the secret road which leads to the rear of the installation.

13 May.
Calling up more troops and air support, Rocketman and his allies attack the ONB7 base and in a protracted battle, destroy the death ray and rescue Audrey Summers. Viktor Korsakov is defeated but along with Yuri and Olga, makes his escape.

~~~~~~~~

12 July.
Project Meteor is reactivated, but as an operational government agency rather than an experimental rocket programme.

1 August.
After marriage to Audrey Summers and a protracted summer holiday, Daniel Mansfield returns to London where he learns the Meteor rocket pack has been reclaimed by the British government. Accepting the role of government agent, Mansfield is given the code name Rocketman by Sir Hugh Sinclair.

25 August.
Daniel Mansfield, 'Mad Dog' Mitchell and George Maccarthur arrive in Macapá, Brazil, where they rendezvous with Sancho Gutiérrez. Their mission is to track down a mysterious statuette named the Golden Anaconda which a villain named Moros has stolen. Inside the statuette are hidden documents containing biological and scientific secrets that must not be allowed to reach the black market.

29 August.
Having recruited some local militia, Mansfield and his companions travel up the Amazon River to a small settlement where they encounter Moros, his men and a small contingent of the Brotherhood of the Black Cross under the command of Helga. A three way battle takes place, ending when Moros flees deeper into the rain forest.

29 August continued.
Mansfield and his companions follow the road to a local airfield where they find Moros and his remaining forces. Another three way battle takes place with Helga and the Germans attacking Moros from the rear. Rocketman is victorious and both Moros and Helga (wounded) retreat into the forest. The Golden Anaconda is eventually discovered, hidden in a bush.

~~~~~~~~

2 September.
Having intercepted radio transmissions which indicate the presence of a mysterious German U-boat hidden some where on the Amazon, MI6 sends Rocketman and his companions, who are still in Macapá, to investigate.

4 September.
Having found the U-boat, Daniel Mansfield and his companions launch an attack and capture it. On board they discover charts and a log book which indicate the Brotherhood of the Black Cross has a secret island base in the Southern Seychelles.

7 September.
Daniel Mansfield returns to London where Sir Hugh Sinclair briefs him on a new mission to investigate Farquhar Island. Due to political considerations, it is decided the mission cannot be seen to be sanctioned by the British government and local mercenaries must be employed.

21 September.
Mansfield and Co. arrive in Port Victoria where thanks to Marcel Messnier and Joe Mitchell's networks of contacts they are able to join forces with a large crew of local mercenaries on board the tramp steamer Le Mollusc.

24 September.
Le Mollusc reaches the northern lagoon of Farquhar Island and attacks the sea-plane station there. After an intense fire fight, which includes an aerial duel between Rocketman and a Heinkel He 51, the lagoon is secured and Mansfield takes half his force and crosses the strange and lurid landscape of an island upon which obscene experiments have been carried out. During the night, Baron von Schöenberg departs the island, abandoning Doktor Metzger to his fate and ordering an attack to cripple Le Mollusc to ensure his get away.

25 September.
Metzger's garrison. The battle is hotly contested but eventually the British regain control of the island. Metzger is captured.

26 September.
Daniel Mansfield is urgently recalled to London.

29 September.
The Royal Navy shells and then burns Farquhar Island until there is nothing left alive. Doctor Alfred Metzger is taken back to the United Kingdom.

~~~~~~~~

13 October
Daniel Mansfield arrives in Bombay and meets with General Sir Michael Keating who explains that Viktor Korsakov has turned up in Northern Afghanistan along with a sizable force of men, tanks and an armoured train.

14 October
Mansfield, Mitchell and Macarthur arrive in Peshawar where they meet Colonel Sir John Napier and his Special Operations Unit.

17 October
The British column arrives in Kabul only to find the friendly government has been replaced by covert Bolshevik sympathisers.

19 October
Travelling north, the British column is ambushed by a Bolshevik artillery and infantry attack. Though Rocketman and his friends are all some what battered, the British manage to defeat the Bolsheviks but learn later that their Royal Afghan allies have been almost entirely annihilated.

21 October
In an attempt to outflank Korsakov's main force, Colonel Napier leaves the remaining Afghan Royal army to hold the road to Kabul and using a little known pass, crosses the Kunduz mountains with his armoured infantry units.

23 October
The British armoured column arrives at Wadi Suhib where they encounter an armoured Bolshevik unit guarding the entrance to the Qala I Zal Valley. A serious tank vs tank engagement takes place ending in a British victory.

26 October
Whilst paused to repair their remaining vehicles, the British encounter a Bolshevik counter attack. Both sides suffer losses and the Bolsheviks eventually withdraw.

~~~~~~~~

29 October
Adolf Hitler is killed in a car crash orchestrated by the British Secret Service on orders from the Temporal Council. Rudolf Hess becomes acting Reich's Chancellor.

~~~~~~~~

30 October
Pestered by small skirmish engagements along the way, the British finally move into the Qala I Zal Valley where they come to a railway track. Realising this must be the means by which the armoured train is moving they damage the track and stage an ambush and after an intense fire fight, they capture the train.

31 October
In the cold early hours of the morning, the British arrive at Qala I Zal and are met by Viktor Korsakov in his armoured suit and with his remaining tanks. A battle ensues and Korsakov is defeated and seriously wounded by Rocketman. The British win the battle but Korsakov's lover Olga fakes his death and removes him to Northern China.

1 November
Unaware that Korsakov is still alive and has escaped, Daniel Mansfield leaves Sir John Napier to dismantle the secret factory town at Qala I Zal.

22 November
Daniel Mansfield returns to Bombay and informs General Sir Michael Keating that the mission has been successful.

25 November
MI6 learns a rumour that Viktor Korsakov may still be alive.

~~~~~~~~

27 November
Desiring a seat on their High Council, Baron Von Schöenberg issues an ultimatum to the Lords Temporal to accommodate his wishes or face the consequences. The Lords Temporal refuse.

~~~~~~~~

22 December
In reaction to reported incidents of border skirmishing between The Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu and remant forces of the Russian warlord Viktor Korsakov, operating in Aksai Chin along side Uighur communist forces under the patronage of Sheng Shicai, Warlord of Xinjiang (formerly known as Chinese Turkestan). Selected units from 17/21st Lancers and 8th Royal Dragoon Guards under command of Colonel Sir John Napier are despatched to assist His Highness Maharaja Hari Singh.

1937

7 January
Kashmiri forces, patrolling in coordination with Colonel Sir John Napier's Special Operations Group, come under sustained heavy fire in the hills north of Tangtse.

10 January
MI6 Intercepts NKVD communications that confirm Viktor Korsakov is alive and in Aksai Chin. Sheng Shicai severs all diplomatic relations with the USSR.

29 January
As regional tensions increase, British Imperial forces on the border of Aksai Chin and the Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu, encounter a sizable force belonging to the Warlord Sheng Shicai. Initial reports indicate local Chinese forces are equipped with superior Russian equipment, possibly supplied by the remains of ONB7.

~~~~~~~~

1 March
Under mysterious circumstances, American Airlines Flight 1091 crash lands in the Florida Everglades. On board is a former member of Project Meteor; Professor Wokinghouse. Since Wokinghouse had recently been contacted by a group with links to Baron Von Schöenberg, known as the Alligator Cult, Sir Hugh Sinclair immediately calls upon Daniel Mansfield to investigate.

2 March
Daniel Mansfield takes a group of specialists to Florida with orders to destroy the Alligator Cult and their leader who is known as The Kingpin.

3 March
Having learned the last known location of the downed aircraft, Mansfield and his companions travel to Oyster Bay, only to find Professor Wokinghouse and two other survivors are in the clutches of the strange cultists who are about to sacrifice them. The British engage the cultists and after a fierce but ultimately one sided firefight which sees the Kingpin flee in a fishing boat, discover that the cultists are not human at all. They take to referring to the cultists as 'the plant people'.

5 March
Daniel Mansfield arrives in Jamaica where he reports to Sir Robert Bullington-Smedley who is the local section chief of MI6. Sir Robert sends Mansfield to Cuba where MI6 Signals Intelligence have located the Kingpin.

6 March
With his team in tow and a Royal Navy gunboat lurking in the nearby darkness, Mansfield arrives in Santiago de Cuba harbour where the Kingpin is meeting with an Italian mafioso named Don Vito Scarlatti. As the British approach the pier upon which the meeting is taking place, a Sicilian renegade named Il Conte de Vulcano arrives and and a battle breaks out. Rocketman kills the Kingpin, but is himself wounded.

~~~~~~~~

8 March
Along with several other right wing officers General Franscisco Franco is taken prisoner by the Second Spanish Republic and charged with treason. In London, Sir Hugh Sinclair notes this as a deviation from the Lords Temporal agenda.

~~~~~~~~

10 March
Daniel Mansfield returns to RAF Brookehurst where he is greeted by Sir Hugh who tells him to take a holiday so he may recuperate from his injuries.

~~~~~~~~

15 March
With Bolshevik incursions from Aksai Chin now regularly threatening the stability of The Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu, Colonel Sir John Napier establishes a regional headquarters at Leh with four outlying forward operations camps to pacify and control the region.

25 March
Sheng Shicai launches an unprovoked offensive into Kashmir and Jammu with the initial spear head over running local defences at Saracks but being slowed down by the superior British defences. Anticipating a second heavier attack, Colonel Sir John Napier orders his forces from Saraks to withdraw and strengthen Leh.

~~~~~~~~

26 March
Daniel and Audrey Mansfield arrive at the Anthropological Institute of Doctor Schlumberger in Paris where they have been invited to celebrate the anthropological and archaeological discoveries of Mansfield's old school chum; Percy Worthington.