WIP Martian Assault Tripod 1

The following are the most recent photos of my first Martian Assault Tripod model from the All Quiet on the Martian Front model range. The legs and body have been painted with GW Leadbelcher followed by a generous coat of GW Nuln Oil ink. The underside of the 'head', arms and tentacles have undergone the same coats. The main head cover has been painted with Ushabti Bone - I'm paying homage to the various colours of Dr Who Daleks. As this is my first one and it has two grabbing claws only, it will represent a command tripod, leading by example. In comparison with the original game mechanics I have not included an official Heat Ray, and I won't be doing so on any of the other tripods. I always imagined the heat ray weapon being head mounted, either in the central eye, or on this model, possibly emanating out of the head's distinctive 'crest'. The heat rays provided on the sprues are the only thing I don't like about this range of models - in my opinion it looks more like an oversized remote control than a terrifying energy weapon. I will also be using the green gas bombs and storage tube as something totally different - again it is a little too cartoony for my creative vision. I'll show how I intend to use the green gas accessorised in another article, let's just say it'll be "shocking" pun intended.

The main eye of the tripods is coming along nicely, I'm going for a Sauron-esque reptilian red eye using a combination of GW paints.

I've also decided to customise the base for this model. I've done a couple of scenic bases for my WW1 models in the past, so I'm going to use the same method - white tack as a modelling putty along with various accessories from my bits box. An Early War Miniatures trench accessory has now been painted up as a signpost for the base. Grovers Mill is the name of the farm where the Martians first land in Orson Welles' renowned radio adaptation of the HG Wells novel. So a mixture of homages to sci-fi will be included in the final product.

And now for something completely different

Please don't get me wrong. I love history, military history of most periods, and am fascinated by the many real events and the stories and people behind them. But once in a while I find myself needing a little escapism, especially in the current political climate both in this country and across the world.

Escapism in military history usually comes in the form of "What ifs", or as historians usually phrase them, "counterfactuals". For example, what if Jackson was alive and commanding his Stonewall Brigade at Gettysburg? Or if the Germans had managed to commandeer the French fleet at Mers El Kebir, and not changed strategy during the Battle of Britain? These are classic hypothetical questions that I could deliberate over for hours.

However, another part of this hobby for me is related to science fiction; earlier in this blog I posted on my Revell kit of Battlestar Galactica. I am a big fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek (probably siding with parts of the latter, if pushed to pick favourites) and love the genre's hybrids, such as the TV show Firefly (a sci-fi Western).

The other day on Netflix I watched a documentary on the Orson Welles 1938 radio adaptation of The War of the Worlds. I had read the book as a kid and loved it (despite not fully understanding the finer parts) and it got me thinking about mixing my military history models with something a little more... Fictitious.

After browsing the Internet in search of something to satisfy this craving, I stumbled across an amazing wargame that was created over in America. The game is called "All Quiet on the Martian Front" and is a wargame based on the premise of second alien invasion following the events of the HG Wells novel. Before doing so, I was considering depicting Martian tripods as 'bipods' and caving in to Games Workshop, spending lots of money on a pair, or perhaps trio of Eldar Wraithlords. The Wraithlord is one of my favourite truly alien units from the Warhammer 40k universe, and the Martian weaponry could have been represented by the Bright Lance, Missile Launchers, Star Cannons and flamers of these beastly walkers.

But All Quiet on the Martian Front offered me an alternative - unique three legged Assault Tripods - a box of three for the price of one Warhammer 'Lord. I managed to get a box off Ebay and was very pleased with its contents. The one hitch is that the game units are intended for use with 15mm scale models. However, these tripods still boast considerable height over my 1/72 armies.

I have now started my first Tripod, nicknamed Alpha. It's going to be the leader Tripod, so I've gone for two grabbing claws out of the various weapon options. The chunky plastic appears very durable, with the exception of the feeler tentacles. I'm not quite decided on a paint scheme but might go for a range of colours for the tripods to differentiate themselves on the tabletop. My long term goal is to form a small collection of Steampunk-inspired Martian Front units, either by buying the official products or converting mainstream kits to fit in. Watch this space! (Also, you'd better watch the sky for those Martian cylinders!)