"What Are VSF Players Really Playing?" Topic

Is it always about the following formula:
1) European armies, 2) competing on Mars and 3) using steam-driven flying ships?

I ask because I've seen little else discussed. So please enlighten me.

Thanks,

Dan

We play Timeline 300. But then, we make it. :-)

My two biggest armies are built around an alternate American Civil War that features advanced VSF steam technology. No Europeans, or Martians present, though there is the occassional flying ship.

link

I was introduced to steampunk via DeadLands, which only has one of those elements. Chris's environment sounds very similar.

Technology was built around a super-coal dubbed "ghost rock" because of the way it wailed when burned, and it was used in materials technology (to create stronger steels) as well as powering steam engines.

That said, DL had a very strong occult element. It's still steampunk, and Victorian, but only weakly what you'd call Sci Fi.

Nah, I prefer the jungles of Space 1889 Venus myself for throwing together games.

Where's the fun in a game that doesn't allow for some or all of the sides to be eaten and/or trampled by dinos?

1),2),3)and lots of other bits and bobs.

I join in the Martian Empires Games at Treefort which fit your description, on a grand scale.

martianwarlords.blogspot.com

I am about half-way through a terrain project that will allow us to play Martian Empires, but on Venus, with a different kind of scenario. Instead of "force-on-force", pitting army vs. army, each player will be an independent armed expeditionary column racing his competitors to suitable places for trading posts, colonies, etc. They will not fight each other, but will have to explore the countryside and overcome deadly perils, including dinosaurs and hostile lizardmen. Hopefully when done d6junkie will allow me to put the results up on his blog.

Mostly what you describe, though often the Martians are only Sepoys. The main adversary for my Brits is Doctor Otto Maton. Still working on enough "proper" flying ships for anything but small scales (1/1200).

I am adding to my Germans and lizard men, as well as other Venusian hazards.

Also, I am investing in Dystopian Wars, Empire of the Dead and In Her Majesty's Name, so add some skirmishes in and around London, plus purely Earthly conflicts.

Drummer: I like your race for location location location idea. Real estate is hard to find on Venus.

My VSF is limited to adventures in Africa. No Martians, strange weapons, or flyers. Just exotic animals and lost civilizations.

Rich,

Tell me more!

Dan

I've been leaning towards lost civilizations more than aether flyers and liftwood.

Ok, I'm 6 foot tall, Oh wait, you mean about the game.

I'm using Mars Needs Steam for rules, but dropping any conveyances except for a nice steam river boat I scratch built. I am considering a dirigible, but not yet. Figures are mostly Foundry, with some odd Copplestone and Rafm thrown in. The players are usually pushing 2-3 units and 2-3 personalities. Amongst the combatants are African Natives, Zanzibari Slavers, Expeditions led by German, British, French, and American explorers, as well as the British Military in the form of Blue Jackets and Sikh Constabulary. There is at least one Maxim gun, which may or may not work. Amongst the mysteries to be solved are the possible existence of a relic population of dinosaurs, the location of a lost Egyptian Dynasty, the dangers of river crocodiles and the rumors of a species of 7 foot tall ape-men. I'd say more, but I don't want to give away all the surprises in my game at Little Wars next month.

Waiting for Highland Studios to produce Space 1889.

Martian Empires on Earth, Mars and Venus…

Mike

Wargames:
Dystopian Wars, Dystopian Legions, All Quiet on the Martian Front, Gaslight, Empire of the Dead

Racing Games:
Le Grande Cirque

Roleplaying Games:
Castle Falkenstein, Wolsung, Victoriana, Brass & Steel

Books:
Leviathan series, Parasol Protectorate series, Laws of Magic series

Basically VSF comes in all varieties – from "hard" with lots of science, lots of "what if" to "rubber science" with invasions, antigravity and space flight, to "soft" with magic (often faeries)

I play Valor & Steel & Flesh so steam tech with earth forces against Martian a la War of the Worlds but also a hefty dash of ERB's Barsoom. So all of the trappings including sky ships, Colonial forces, etc. However, like some others I am working on a Venus game with Lizardmen, dinosaurs, and Colonial Earth forces. I have also done the lost world scenario set in the darkest recesses of the African Continent.

Dystopian wars for me.

Hive, Queen and Country has action on Earth, Mars and Venus. Giant Bugs on Earth against European troopers and the various armies of south and central America

The Hive and the Flame has the rules

Rich,

Ia, signed up for your game and I am looking forward to it!

Rich,

I'am signed up for your game and I am looking forward to it!

Aeronef & Land Ironclads for me. I've been playing with adapting Ganesha's system to a Martian environment. I plan to RPG & skirmish game a police station on one of the great roads. Think Heartbeat on Mars! For the RPG & bigger games mapping it all out in 2mm, skirmishing in 15mm.

Then it's on to Venus for a spot of huntin n shootin n fishin, wot?!

Dystopian Wars for me

Dragon Gunner: That seems to be a stalled project at the moment.

Has Mars Needs Steam been published?

I've been interested in it, but I can't seem to find any info other than mentions on Frank Chadwick's blog.

Mars Needs Steam has not been published. I'm working off of a playtest copy.

Martian empires & Space 1889 in Africa & NW Frontier.
Plans for a French Naval discovery to a lost High Martian Civilation remenant.

Rich Bliss,

I may have found a re-purposing option for a jungle city (like ERB's Opar):

TMP link

Dan
PS. For the inhabitants:
TMP link

Kind of a stalled project for me, too, just now. I have a lot of colonial era stuff and anticipate using it i some Earth bound VSF stuff. The coelacath was thought extinct until somebody caught one in the 1930s. A couple modern movies have involved finding dinosaurs living in Africa. The cryptozoologists think there may still be a few giant Komodo Dragons roaming the Australian Outback. I think there is plenty of room for having my Foreign Legionnaires eaten by previously unknown beasties. The French also were enthused about races across the Sahara in motor vehicles in the '30s, something that could easily be extended back in time for steam powered half tracks.

I'v ried to think about VSF uses for my Greeks, but 19th century Greece was largely lacking in the heavy industry needed to produce steam driven vehicles, so this hasn't gotten much of anywhere.

Grelber

That's disappointing about Mars Needs Steam.

I guess I'll have to turn to something different – maybe Terry Sofian's games, which I have heard good things about.

I've been playing quite a bit of In Her Majesty's Name as part of the run up to the release.

Our VSF intermingles with semi-historical games of Colonial and Pulp at times, but formula works if Martian becomes indigenous peoples many places, as it could start with dino hunting in Africa, and/or upholding the white man's burden on Mars, Venus, the Moon, or center of the earth.

As the liberal of the group, I'm more oft running someone driving out the round-eyed, red-skinned, ugly bags of water… ;->=

I loved running the Black Prince of Mars, first fighting, then aligning with, Jason Carson, who was absolutely NOT John Carter.

Doug

If I had the players for it, I would totally do a 7tv mod for steampunk skirmish.