at the mission ...

A day later Crichton Odd's party reached the mission at San Miguel...

After having a rest and a light meal,  Odd stretched his legs and went for a walk down to the river by the landing stage...

 As he was about to wander back to the mission, he heard the sound of a larger vessel coming down the river, he waited a bit and watched a small coastal steamer chugging down the river, he walked down onto the landing stage for a closer look - on the deck of the steamer was von Tiddenheim and a german officer...

Odd watched as the steamer went past and down the river. Odd walked back up to the mission musing - next time von Tiddenheim, next time .....

getting directions ....

Crichton Odd's party had trekked for a couple of days and had made slow progress towards their goal of reaching the mission at San Miguel. Thankfully the jungle was starting to thin out and as they passed by some ruins they encountered a friendly native who directed them towards the mission...

through the jungles of Yucatan...

After their failure to get the treasure from the mayan pyramid, taken by the their rival von Tiddenheim, Major Crichton Odd's party has been working its way back through the jungle. They've investigated some other mayan ruins along the way and found nothing of value. So they decide to make their way back to San Miguel and from there start the long journey home.

As they work their way through the jungle they stop at a small pool in a clearing to get some much needed water ...

After a rest they carry on though the jungle ....

WW1: at the airfields ...

At the british airfield where Captain Odd-Fellowes's squadron is based, a Bristol fighter is preparing to leave while some officers inspect a newly arrived Sopwith tri-plane.

 ---oXo---

Meanwhile at the airfield of Jasta 69, von Tiddenheims' flying circus, the landing gear of an Albatross DV is being repaired while a couple of pilots look at Fokker DVII which has been sent to the squadron for evaluation...

 

[new items: 4 planes and some figures picked up for a nice price off Ebay]

In the jungles of the Yucatan - searching for mayan gold ...

Is 1934 and the germans are searching out magical artefacts. Graf von Tiddenheim is in the jungles of Yucatan searching mayan ruins for the fabled gold statue of Ixbalanque. Von Tiddenheim is accompanied by his valet Hans Orf and a detachment of troops.

Also investigating the same area is Major Crichton Odd an army reservist and adventurer; he is accompanied by his fiance Hermione Fellowes and a detachment of troops led by his cousin - Captain Reginald Odd-Fellowes.

---oXo---

von Tiddenheim's party move through the jungle ....

they have been spotted, the natives know where they are ...

mean while Major Odd's part struggles through the undergrowth...

von Tiddenheim spots the top of a pyramid above the trees and lead his men in that direction ....

As they approach the pyramid a load of natives appear from the nearby ruins ....

the natives fire their weapons and charge at them ....

Major Odd's party has reached the base of the pyramid and encounters the beligerant natives ....

the germans fight the natives ....

the germans beat the natives off ..

the british too give the natives a hard time ...

the germans move towards the pyramid ...

the british win the race to the top of the pyramid ...,

a fight develops on the pyramid and germans get the edge and take control of the top ....

outnumbered the british attacks stalls,

the germans have control of the pyramid,  Major Odd's party fall back and he has no choice but to leave - as they are outnumbered and there are lots of natives milling about...

While the natives hang back among the ruined buildings near the pyramid, Von Tiddenheim and his party get away with the gold statue ....

[ a game to get a thread of the pulp story lines going; using some basic character figures plus early WW2 germans and and british troops - need to get some in tropical dress]

Aircraft hangars ...

I knocked up a two hangars from cardboard. They nominally represent some sort of canvas ones on a wooden frame. 

 Now I need some ground crew .... :)

WW1: Game in a Box ...

Well a rather large box, I decided to tidy up the storage scheme I was using and found a nice plastic box with lid. With careful packing I can get all the stands, rules etc in plus the planes. Also easy for transportation.

With the space I have I can fit in about 10 planes. Currently short of British ones, so have bought a Corgi diecast WW1 Sopwith (a little underscale) and two Spad XIII kits to make.

WW1: German spotter plane attacked ....

A quick game to try out the WW1 air warfare rules - 'Canvas & Wire'; and to check the aircraft stands are suitable (stands made from camera tripod legs see http://ww2tanksalot.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/aircraft-stands.html ).

German Roland C2 on spotting duty ...

A couple of British Sopwith pups in the distance move towards the Roland ...

 The first Sopwith comes in and fires a burst, some damage caused ...

 The Roland rear gunner lets loose peppering the Sopwith with shot and setting the engine on fire

 Both planes manouvre, the Sopwith engine cuts out and he has to lose height quickly and glide down

going down .....

 and onto the ground with a bump behind British lines - pilot safe

 The Roland gains height and resumes spotting ....

 The second Sopwith comes in ....

A more experienced pilot he hugs the Roland's blind spot and lets rip bursts of machine gun fire ...

 the Sopwith gets closer in and is still firing, the Roland is trying to make a run for it ....

the Sopwith breaks off the attack as the 'peppered' Roland loses height quickly, the pilot manages to keep control eventually landing in a field behind German lines

An Introduction ....

A blog for gaming military encounters and adventures in the period 1900-1939.

Initially games will focus on WW1 air warfare and subsequently in the future 'pulp style' adventures during 1900-13,  1920's and 1930's.  Following the clashes and collaborations of two families, their relatives and descendants through the period, with principle characters at the outbreak of WW1 being:

• Sir Barnaby Odd-Fellow, stalwart of the British Empire, currently residing in Dorset - avid explorer, amateur archaeologist, flyer, and colonel in the local yeomanry.
• Wilhelm Graf von Tiddenheim, keen historian, equestrian and student of military matters;  with estates in the German province of Saxony near Wittenberg.

off we go .....