All Quiet on the Martian Front...

... well until its all shipped out in December!

All images courtesy of Alien Dungeon

Welcome aboard to those of you who have found your way across the gulfs of cyberspace. I thought I'd set this new blog up to while away the time until I get my hands on all the goodies from the hugely successful Kickstarter campaign Alien Dungeon ran to get their new game, All Quiet on the Martian Front, off to a flying start.

The game, as you will probably already know, carries on the story of H G Wells' classic alien invasion story, War of the Worlds, with a second Martian invasion of Earth. The action this time centres on the embattled America of 1914 - weary from six years of war with the Martian Invaders. Elsewhere only Europe, Japan, the Pacific Islands, Southern Asia and India remain free of Martian occupation.

It is a world where coal and steel offer Man the best hope of fighting for survival. Steam powered tanks and Naval guns, along with more exotic weaponry like Tesla's Lightning Gun make up much of the US army's arsenal.

Meanwhile their major ally, Great Britain heeds the call to arms and sends relief in the form of the BEF. Newly risen from the ruins of the first Martian attack, Britain enjoys stronger ties with the US thanks to the aid that came pouring across the Atlantic and which facilitated such a quick recovery. However, the suspicious and envious European Powers, slow to aid Britain in her hour of need and fearful of her new found technological might, gleaned from the Martian machines left behind from the first invasion, should not be ignored. Who knows to what purpose France and Germany have entered into an arms race with Great Britain...

The Martians of course wield the terrible heat ray from atop their near impregnable Tripods. Chemical and biological weapons also feature in the form of Black Dust and Green Mist. Reports are also filtering in from the Front, of Martian-controlled Humans, or Zombie troopers, as well as the smaller Drone and Hover Drones.

So that's the game setting and major players that have been revealed so far. However, excitingly there are still the other European Powers and Japan to look forward to, as well as the forces of Venus and the Moon as the Great interplanetary War widens in scope!

So what's next for the blog?

Over the coming months I hope to look at H G Wells' classic tale and its many and varied offshoots, re-imaginings and "sequels", as well as combing through his other works that feature such things as Land Ironclads and the like. Perhaps I might even delve into other fictional versions of Mars and explore how it has featured in popular culture over the decades.

I'll also be keeping an eye out for any other developments from Alien Dungeon relating to All Quiet on the Martian Front, looking at the miniatures and rules in more detail. As 15mm is a new scale to me, searching out good sources of scenery will also be a high priority.

Until next time stay frosty!