Turnip28.Artillery Train. 1

The emerging Turnip28 world has fired my imagination and building frenzy so after the sketches I have finally found some time to actually start putting something together. Usually, I would start with the troops and work on the big stuff afterward but with some Perry Agincourt English foot, 1450-1500 Light Cavalry, and some Victrix French Old Guard on order I was reluctant to wait so started on the Artillery Train.
The original meaning of an Artillery train was just a collection of everything needed for a unit of Artillery all ready for marching but I thought I would turn it into an actual Train, abet a wagon based one!
From my initial sketches, the train would be one lead wagon pulled by Horses, this would have the Observation Balloon winch and a giant root as the counterweight.

It would then be followed by several smaller carts that carried the rockets and a final Guard wagon.

The Guard Wagon would essentially be a mobile keep.

Starting with the lead wagon, I used coffee stirrers scored to give more texture and some wooden spoked wheels I picked up on eBay (to save a bit of time)

Size next to Perry Minature Dragoon

I added cardboard to the wheels to give them iron rims

After completing the base I realized I had made it unable to turn so had to rebuild the front and used magnets to attach

Completed wagon with sides and bar for the horses

I have build two of the smaller wagons using the same method

Starting work on the Balloon 

I wanted a wicker base and large enough for two figures that could sit within the large wagon

Metal wire wound around the wooden poles. With hindsight I would have left the corner ones long as they became the main balloon tethers, instead I just added some more halfway through

The basket sitting in the wagon. 

I later changed the bases from round to 20mm square which fitted even better

Plasticard frame opened up the poles and the tops were pressed into the polystyrene ball.

The whole ball will be covered in PVA/tissue paper

Artillery Train so far

With such a muddly theme I also started experimenting with some terrain. The mix is soil, some cheap acrylic paint (brown and black), and flexible filler ( I used Stanley Flexible filler). The mixed dried well on the foam base and held the soil well with some flexibility. I have used Foam playmat/gym mats before and plan on using another set for a muddy battlefield with some half-buried dead, bones and rusted armour with some scattered wooden walkways WW1 trench style.

Planet28. Industrial X

Coordinator Tricc scanned over the quarterly reports scrolling up on the flickering green screen as his newly appointed deputy sat down opposite him and placed two steaming white mugs on the table. 

" Are all the reports in. How is it looking? " he asked, between sips of the hot ReCaff

" We are still waiting on Industrial 8, but then don't we always!" Tricc replied without looking up, reaching for his cup as his eye stayed on the screen.

"It's not looking good, but within the predicted downturn. I don't think Industrial 8 will change that, thank the Void for Industrial 10!'

Deputy Salinn put down his cup and watched the Coordinator sit back and take a sip from his own cup before responding

"Industrial 10? I am not familiar with them. They are not on the top tier?"

"Your new and I wouldn't expect you to have heard of them. It is a base tier site. Way out in the Dust Wastes and processes human dead. Not very glamourous and certainly not Shareholder brochure material!" Tricc leaned forward and after punching a couple of keys swung the monitor round to show Salinn the new screen

"It gained a bit of a reputation because it doesn't draw any attention to itself. Look at the variables compared to the other Industrials. in every area 10 is on top, safe, efficient, compliant, and totally reliable. they haven't logged an accident or industrial counteraction in 6 Rotations. Security expenditure is one of the highest, but look where they are and worth the cost for this level of reliability"

"Sounds too good to be true?!" muttered Salinn as he looked over the figures

"It has crossed my mind" Tricc answered as he punched up another screen

"Several investigators have gone out undercover and found nothing, and I even went out myself once. Overseer Fuge is the real deal and runs a tight ship. His crews work hard and revere him as the figures attest."

"Perhaps we should promote Fuge to one of the other Industrials and get in to work his magic elsewhere?" mused Salinn.

"I had thought about it but too risky. I don't want to lose what he has built there"

Salinn nodded and looked up from the screen, the green glare giving his eyes a strange glow.

"How about the other way. The other inductrials could send staff to him, he can get them trained up and sent back to spread the way as it were"

"That's not a bad idea. Good to see you are earning your badge already. See to it"

"Straight away"

Salinn stood up and made for the door, straightening up his new uniform robes and making sure the sleeve was pulled down to hide the X tattoo on the inside of his wrist.

More than a few years ago I acquired some Malignancy miniatures from Macrocosm games. 

Before the days of GW Genestealer Cult reboot, they had a style of the old Genestealer cult but also a hint of Rogue trader and even Judge Dredd street style (Kneepads!!) To my shame they were overtaken by other projects but with my eye over Planet28 they have been perfect for the workers and  Mutants in the Death on the Periphery.

I wanted to go with a very dirty industrial look, as a cult, they are still in the early stages and undercover

Two of the Hybrids will make nice mutants and the cult leader will fill in for the Planetary Overlord (or he is still cult and its a big trap!)

Full crew of Industrial X

Reps for each of my Planet28 factions

Between coats of yellow, I have also been working on some terrain, excuse to revisit old sci-fi terrain, and upgrade as well.

First Piece is a junked mech shed. I have added some corrugated walls and barbed wire and repainted them. Tweaked the mech as well to match the crew colours

Junked mech is a Strider from Mantic

 

Turnip28. Sketches

Amongst the worlds being created by the Inq28 community, Turnip 28 has really caught my eye, both from the initial vision being put out by its creator Max Fitzgerald but also by its potential and what is coming out of the community already on the Facebook Group Ancient 28 and various blogs
Turnip28 is a Grimdark post-Napoleonic realm semi-feudal realm where endless war, a landscape remade by roots and earth, and everything they brought up from the dark. Rusted armor and beaked helmets mix with dirty shako and the ever-present root and earth. While throughout it all is the Turnip, on painted shield and banner, underfoot and all around!
Max has started a Patreon and has plenty planned...

Patreon.com/Turnip28

I had previously started to muse on an INq28 touched Napoleonic setting, rich enough material from the Retreat from Russia alone and wrote a brief starting point'

The Emperor's close victory at Waterloo marked the beginning of the ‘Guerre tranquille’. Napoleon was still rebuilding France's war machine and was unable to capitalize on the victory, and although the allied forces still outnumbered them the deaths of Blucher and Wellington had left them divided. France took advantage of the pause and dug in. Rigging the Empire in trenches and fortifications as Napoleon yet again revolutionized war...

Maybe they dug too deep and woke up the earth? will have to watch and see what emerges!

To populate my muddy patch of this emerging world I recalled my Sharpes novels (by Bernard Cornwell) and in particular the appearance of the Rocket Troop. based on the historical William Congreve who patented and promoted the use of Rocket Artillery around that time.  

Youtube

(Clip from the Sharpe TV Series featuring the Rocket Troop)

The novel appearance and erratic behavior, not to mention the game potential of misfire or careering rockets flying/bouncing around the battlefield are very appealing. 

My Initial ideas and sketches for No.107 Experimental Rocket Brigade

Some Period Balloons and images of the Congreve Rockets

Some Victrix French Napoleonic and Perry Miniatures Agincourt Foot Knights are on order and giving me a good starting point and until then I can start work on some Rooty Rockets and big Balloon!