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After a year away, Doctor Who will return to BBC One on New Year’s Day with a two part special, called Spyfall. Sounds like it might involve secret agents, the security services, even a James Bond character perhaps?
‘Spyfall’ is written by showrunner Chris Chibnall.
A rather dark photograph of mine of the Peerless Armoured Car at the Bovington Tank Museum.
During the First World War, sixteen American Peerless trucks were modified by the British to serve as armoured cars. These were relatively primitive designs with open backs, armed with a Pom-pom gun and a machine gun, and were delivered to the British army in 1915.
After the war, a new design was needed to replace armoured cars that had been worn out. As a result, the Peerless Armoured Car design was developed in 1919. It was based on the chassis of the Peerless three ton lorry, with an armoured body built by the Austin Motor Company.
Here is a better lit photograph of the Peerless Armoured Car at Bovington from Wikimedia.
This photo appeared in the Sunday Independent on 13 August 1922, with the caption: “A Dangerous Corner – This photograph was taken in one of the towns captured during the past week by the National Army. It shows an amoured car “manoeuvring for position” at the end of a street facing the post office. Irregulars occupy the further end of the street, and are being quickly dislodged by infantry supported by the armoured car.”
Of the Human nations of the Old World, the most important by far is that of the Empire of Man, more often called simply “The Empire.” It was forged by the warrior-king and ascended deity Sigmar from the primitive Human tribes of barbarians who inhabited what became the lands of the southern Empire more than 2500 years ago.
This painted model of Luthor Huss was on display at Warhammer World in July 2018.
The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.
At the outbreak of World War II, 76 vehicles were in service. They were used in operations in the Western Desert, in Iraq, and in Syria. By the end of 1941, they were withdrawn from the frontline service as modern armoured car designs became available.
This model was the first one I bought for Tally Ho! It has been stuck in a box for about twenty years.
It was originally designed and manufactured by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company (HLBSCo) they were small and relatively new. I even remember discussing licensing the models for a commercial version of Tally Ho! However that didn’t go any further and the model went into a box.
A version of the model is still available today and the other HLBSCo models are available from Empress Miniatures. The newer version consists of more resin and less white metal.
As well as Tally Ho! I am also going to use it with Bolt Action with my Home Guard Unit, and possibly A Very British Civil War.
This is a 1920s version of the Armoured Car. The model consists of a resin armoured hull, metal chassis, wheels, turrets and fiddly headlights.
Despite the age of the model, this is a well crafted sculpture and has captured the rather unique look of the original.
Next stage will be putting it altogether, though the headlamps look rather fiddly.
This is the Vickers A1E1 Independent a the Tank Museum which alas wasn’t very well lit, but I have added a further official photograph below.
The Independent A1E1 is a multi-turreted tank that was designed by the British armaments manufacturer Vickers between the First and Second World Wars. Although it only ever reached the prototype stage and only a single example was built, it influenced many other tank designs.
The A1E1 design can be seen as a possible influence on the Soviet T-100 and T-28 tanks, the German Neubaufahrzeug tanks, and the British Medium Mk III and Cruiser Mk I (triple turret) tank designs. The Soviet T-35 tank was heavily influenced by its design.
Though never developed beyond the prototype stage, you can imagine that it might have entered production if the Second World War had started earlier, or we had the potential scenario of A Very British Civil War.
The tank was the subject of industrial and political espionage, the plans ending up in the Soviet Union, where they may have influenced the design of the T-28 and T-35 tanks.
There are lots of skirmish games or role playing scenarios that could be inspired by this. Soviet agents, aided by communist sympathisers, attempt to break into the Vickers factory to steal the plans (or even the prototype) and British police, the Security Services and even troops attempt to stop them.
Famous Battle of Britain fighter, preserved in its original wartime OTU livery.
Suspended by cables from ceiling.
The Tank Museum obtained the tank used in Steven Spielberg’s World War One blockbuster Warhorse. Here is a photo I took when I was at the museum in 2016.
Though it looks like an authentic Mark IV tank, it was in fact constructed for the film.
Here is a video about the “tank” at the Tank Museum .
Just what every mekboy wants; an even bigger `Dread! A smoke-belching, hydraulic monster able to tear apart enemy tanks and smash a side lesser war machines with contemptuous ease.
These two were part of a display at Warhammer World.
The Ork Mega-Dread is a very large walker vehicle. This monstrosity of a walker is to Deff Dreds and Killa Kans in the same way the Contemptor Dreadnought and its offshoots are to Space Marine Dreadnoughts. Thus these things are actually rare, since constructing one requires a Mekboy of both uncommon talent, and high levels of Orkishness, so a Guardsman won’t be seeing one on every battlefield.
I have one on my workbench, but it needs to be finished off…
The Morris Commercial C8 FAT (Field Artillery Tractor), commonly known as a Quad, is an artillery tractor used by the British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War.
It was used to tow field artillery pieces, such as the 25-pounder gun-howitzer, and anti-tank guns, such as the 17-pounder. Although its sloped sides suggest otherwise,the Quad was not armoured.
British WW2 4×4 field artillery tractor, crew of 1 plus capacity for 5 gun crew, powered by Morris EH 4-cylinder petrol engine. Designed specifically to tow a 25pdr or 17pdr gun and crew into action. Also carried ammunition and towed an ammunition limber.
A Morris C8 Quad Artillery Tractor from Simon’s collection.
Nice to see one of my favourite rule sets of all time, Full Thrust available for free download.
I really liked the simplicity of Full Thrust and it was a really fun game.
Back in the 1990s I developed a set of Star Trek cards and rules for Full Thrust which were a lot of fun. I ran a fair few participation games at shows around the UK using Star Trek toys from MicroMachines.
Full Thrust is a science fiction strategy wargame written by Jon Tuffley and published by Ground Zero Games of England. It is usually played with miniature figurines representing imaginary starships, although cardboard chits representing the vessels can also be used. Unlike many games, the publishers encourage the use of any miniatures rather than only “official” ones, though Ground Zero Games does also sell an extensive miniature range.
They were first published in 1991 by Ground Zero Games with a second edition published in 1992.
They are available as free download from the GZG website.