19C - Martian Invasion Force

The combined armies of NSW and Victoria  sent reconnaissance forces into the remote  Molongo River where the Martians had established their forward operating base.

Many of the brave men sent were captured or killed. A local militia unit had attacked the Martians soon after they had landed but the militia were completely wiped out to the last man.

Eventually after many attempts Chesty Bond returned with some photos and information on the Martians.

The main force was established around a farm in the Molongo Valley 153 miles south west of Sydney.

Martian invaders

The main ship did not have any offensive capabilities. The flyers were very dangerous and had already destroyed one airship that had tried to photograph the Martian camp.

Martian flyer

The Martian flyers are armed with some type of radium guns.

The guns seem to be linked to each other.

Martian Tripod

The Martian Tripods are very well armoured  and also have a single radium gun plus a smaller Gatling type gun.

Martians!!

Martian foot soldiers are armed with a ray gun of some type. Not as powerful as the one in the Tripod, it was still seen to kill an adult wallaby with a single shot.







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The Tripods are from the Pendraken SciFi range. The infantry are also Pendraken  - I don't know why they were listed as Macedonian Pikemen as they are obviously Martians - I had to remove a small shield from their left arm but that was easy to do.

The painting is by me so very bad  - I am always amazed when I see what other people can do with these figures. In future, I am going to avoid close up photos.

The Flyers are Scout Ships from Pegasus (I think) as is the larger Area 51 model.

19C - End of an Era

The Victorian air ships brought back the news of the utter defeat to Melbourne later that night. The next day the headlines of the newspapers were full of the terrible news, lists of casualties and calls for the government to resign. The Victorian Prime Minister tried to hold on to power by deflecting blame to the army and its commanders and to the Minister of War, but by the end of the day had been forced to resign in disgrace.

In Sydney the celebrations were tinged by the terrible loses and the damage to the city.
The telegraph between Sydney and Melbourne ran hot with demands and counter accusations. The NSW Government was slightly assuaged by the fall of the Victorian Government and the subsequent request from the Victorian Governor for an armistice to allow time to form a new government who could discuss peace terms.

Just a week later the world was still coming to terms with this short and fearsome war on the other side of the Earth when there was another shock. All across the world an alien invader had landed. Soon identified as Martians, with formidable weapons they quickly took bridgeheads on each of the continents.

Finally, Earth had found a cause that they could all agree on and work together. All the current disputes were put to one side and enemies became allies, foes became friends, and armies co-operated against the new and devastating invader that threatened them all.

Australia was no exception. The Victorians were happy to find common ground with NSW and to put the recent “unpleasant events” in the past. The new Victorian Government were wise enough to place their Army at the disposal of the NSW to eliminate the Martian attack in the south of NSW. While the NSW government and people were not too happy about inviting Victorian troops into NSW they were less happy about trying to defeat the Martians by themselves and they realised that the Victorian troops, EMUS and flying ships would greatly help them.

So the armies joined together to fight the Martians and a great force assembled in the outback of NSW on a sheep station that the Martians had landed at.

Martian Invasion Area

19C - War of the Antipodes - Sydney Counterattack

This is a continuation of my 19C campaign describing a war between NSW and Victoria in the 1880's. I use my own rules for this. There is one more battle for this campaign before I move onto something else. For the last battle I am going to  use the FUBAR rules for VSF,

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Sydney Parliament House, the afternoon of the Victorian surprise attack. The Victorian airships have returned to Melbourne to load more forces. Victorian sailing ships have landed with supplies and more troops.

The Victorian commander was interrogating some of the captured NSW officers in the dining room of the NSW Parliament House. He was telling them how their resistance was useless and they should recognise this and join the Victorian army.

However, the one hole in his argument was the wreckage of the Victorian air ship smouldering outside on Macquarie Street. He told his prisoners that that was nothing and soon they would see even more amazing scenes as the Victorian Emus were landed from their ships.

The NSW officers asked him to explain and he told them how the machines were three stories high, armoured and carried two Gatling guns and an artillery gun. “You have nothing to match it!” he smirked at his prisoners.

Just then there was a dull thud from a long way away and soon one of the NSW officers pointed to the pressure waves in a cup of tea on the table. “They are coming!” he said to his colleagues.

“What is coming!” said the Victorian commander.

“Just some Kangaroos” smiled the officer. This was followed by some repeating thuds from far away and then some distant cheers. “Our forces are coming and soon we will be free!”

The Victorian Commander laughed. “They can cheer all they like. We know you are going to counterattack and we have already prepared our defences. Soon the Emus will land and nothing will be able to move us. The docks at Circular Quay are covered with our stores and supplies. We have emplaced our artillery in your forts. Sydney is ours and the sooner you all realise it the better for all of us.”

The opening situation:

Opening situation and plans.  Red for NSW and Blue for Victoria

NSW Plans.

NSW is going to counterattack through the Domain and then down to Circular Quay to destroy the Victorian stores and supplies there. They will also need to recapture Hyde Park Barracks and Parliament House to protect their flank.

They still have to defend the Sydney Town Hall but have used the militia forces for this with some artillery and one regular company in support.

Victorian Plans.

Victoria needs to defend against the NSW counter attack and also capture the Sydney Town Hall. If they can do this the NSW resistance will be ended.

 
Turn 1

NSW.
The force in the Domain advances into sight of the Victorian defences.
The Town Hall force prepares its defences.

Victoria.
The defenders gasp when they see the Kangaroos come into the open but hold their nerve and open fire damaging one of the Kangaroos.
The Town Hall assault force moves into positions.

Turn 1 in Domain

Turn 2
NSW
The Kangaroos open fire on the Victorians in the trenches and slaughter them and damage the Gatling gun. The NSW infantry move in support to assault the lines and the NSW lancers move round the flank.

Victoria
Their forces move to attack the Town Hall but the NSW defenders hold firm.
The EMUS and other reserves move to support the remaining defenders in the Domain.

End of Turn 2 in Domain

End of Turn 2 at Town Hall

Turn 3
NSW
The NSW infantry assault the Hyde Park Barracks but are pushed back by the Victorian defenders.
NSW infantry clear the trenches and a NSW company deploys to assault the Barracks from a different direction.

Victoria.
The assault on the Town Hall is repulsed.
In the Domain the Victorians redeploy their reserves to hold the line.

Turn 3 Domain NSW are through the Victorian trench line

Victorian assault on Sydney Town Hall

Turn 4
NSW
A second assault on the Barracks ends in a draw and the infantry remain locked in action.
The Kangaroos advance through the trenches and deploy on the other side.
The II Victorian Infantry company is destroyed
The I Victorian Infantry company assaulting the Town Hall is shredded by NSW Artillery fire.
The other Victorian infantry attacking the Town Hall also take casualties.

Victoria
The assault on the Town Hall is stalled with many casualties.
In the Domain the Victorian Cavalry charge the NSW Lancers but despite significant losses on both sides it is the Victorians who lose.
The Close Assault in the Barracks continues and NSW forces their way into the Barracks.

End of turn 4 in the Domain

End of turn 4 at Sydney Town Hall

Turn 5
NSW
NSW maul the remaining Victorian assault force attacking the Town Hall
NSW continue the Barracks Close Assault

Victoria.
The Victorian Infantry hold on in the Barracks.
The Victorian assault forces retreat from the Town Hall.

End of Turn 5 in the Domain

End of Turn 5 at Sydney Town Hall

Turn 6
NSW
Retake the Barracks
In the Domain NSW Kangaroos destroy an EMU and the Victorian Cavalry.

Victoria
Return fire on the Kangaroos and one is destroyed as well as two infantry bases.
The forces at the Town Hall retreat so not to be outflanked.

End of turn 6 in Domain

End of Turn 6 at Town Hall - NSW advances

Turn 7.
NSW
2 more EMUS are destroyed and the Victorian Infantry in Parliament House lose 2 stands.

Victoria
Retreats on all fronts. There is little left to stop the NSW forces.

The hope of a Victorian victory lies destroyed in the Domain 

Turn 8
NSW Advances
Victoria retreats

NSW is advancing

Turn 9
NSW forces are repulsed in their advance down Pitt Street
This is too little and too late. Elsewhere NSW is surging forward.

Victoria
The artillery in Fort Macquarie open fire but do little damage to a Roo.

Turn 9 Victoria hold back some NSW militia troops but elsewhere NSW is unopposed

Turn 10.
NSW has gained the docks and will destroy or capture the Victorian supplies. The Victorian attack on Sydney has been destroyed with significant losses.

NSW has won!!

Photo in the Sydney newspapers the next day showed the capture of the Victorian trenches.