As I revealed in an earlier post I have a bit of a “pash” for airships and especially fantasy / steampunk ones. Since Christmas I’ve been running a smallish campaign covering the 1890´s aerial conflict between the two Eastern European Imaginations of Maltovia and Lovitzna so I thought I’d bore the arse off everyone with a few piccies and a brief description of what’s what. If nothing else it’ll be a break from the ECW.
Variety.
You know.
Spice of life and all that.
Anywhoo…
The two countries (Maltovia and Lovitznia) were borrowed from my Penguin paperback copy of Capt W.E. Johns “Biggles Goes To War”. I was a big Biggles fan when I was little, which probably explains a lot.
Maltovia and Lovitznia’s border is long and difficult to traverse. In the south the two countries are separated by a high mountain range and in the north the border is marked by a thirty mile stretch of the river Dniepr.
In 1888 the Lovitznian High Council agreed the funding and construction of the Lovitznia Maltovia Friendship Bridge and by mid 1891 where my campaign begins it has finally been completed.
Not long after the bridge is finished the Maltovian government receives intelligence that the Lovitznian army is conducting “manoeuvres” within striking distance of the crossing. Reconnaissance by the Maltovian’s sole Aeroleve confirms the situation. The Lovitznian ambassador is summoned but denies any ill intent on behalf of his country. Maltovia begins to mobilise its small and ill equipped army and hurriedly arranges the purchase of a single outdated Montgolfier class cruiser recently decommissioned by France. Within days of its arrival it is pressed into service on a desperate mission.
The Maltovian high command concludes that only way to halt a Lovitznian invasion is to take away the ability to cross the Dniepr in any numbers. The shiny new bridge would have to go.
On June 4th 1891 the two machines of the Maltovian airforce took to the sky and headed east, the mew cruiser laden down with a clutch of bombs and the escorting aeroleve carrying half a dozen rockets.
The rules used were my favourite Galleys and Galleons, modified for hexes and with the combat system changed to better suit my needs. So barely Galleys and Galleons at all come to think of it.
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| The Montgolfier Class Cruiser (left - painted in Maltovian colours) leaving a cloud bank at high altitude and heading east at a tear arsing 40kmh. On the right is the Maltovian aeroleve (body of a small airship but fitted with wings to aid lift) and its battery of six forward firing rockets. |
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| Seems the Lovitznians have also been shopping for an air force. This patrolling Danube class vessel could put a spanner in the works! |
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| “And there’s more” - as Jimmy Cricket used to say. An ex Austro Hungarian Pfeil class vessel comes in as a Lovitznian back up. |
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| Over the target. The Maltovian airforce scores two bomb hits on the bridge. Not enough to destroy it on this occasion but enough to prevent its use until its repaired. On the right the aeroleve fires a rocket (and misses). |
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| The aeroleve attempts to pop a cap in the Lovitznian’s ass again (as I believe my American cousins might say) and misses (once more). |
Now that the gloves have come off the Lovitznian airforce responds in kind. But un obligingly doesn’t miss.
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| Stat card for the Maltovian cruiser. Red dice indicates activation limiting damage and the two home made counters show damage to the engines and the command crew. |
Job done, both Maltovian vessels high tail it for the exit and slip away without any further damage. I think it’s fair to say the Lovitznian Embassy won’t be hosting any more “cocktails and canapés” friendship nights in the near future.
Toodleooh.
