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TOOLS
IN ORDER TO undertake these conversions, you need 1. Knife.
a good hobby knife and plastic glue. A liquid glue, such
as Testors, is preferable to a thick tube glue, as it is less
likely to ruin detail. A solvent-type glue, such as Weld 2. Glue.
On, is even better. Sandpaper is also handy, both for
removing some gun mounts and for conducting some fin-
ishing work on hull surfaces. Some of the more advanced 3. Sandpaper.
MARTIAN CLOUDSHIPS conversions also call for the use of hobby putty. I recom-
ONLY A LIMITED selection of vessels could be in- mend a two-part putty, such as Tamiya ribbon epoxy put
cluded in Sky Galleons of Mars when it was released, ty or Miliput. Squadron Green Putty is excellent for 4. Hobby putty.
so we concentrated on providing a good generic mix of working with metal or resin, but it contains a powerful
ships. The Martian vessels in the game consist of a large solvent which will soften and dissolve styrene (which is
and a small screw galley, and a large and a small kite. what these ships are made of). Very thin sheet styrene 5. Styrene.
Although the large vessels resemble the familiar (called plastic card) is also handy for adding fine detail,
Whisperdeath and Hullcutter, many vessels are not particularly rams and rudders. Finally, a Mototool, while
specifically represented. not absolutely necessary, is a great labor-saving device 6. Mototool.
Since players of Sky Galleons of Mars have expressed and makes many difficult conversions a breeze.
the need to expand their cloud fleets or use additional Once you have finished a conversion, painting is a
ship models to make special conversions, we have made must. No matter how careful you are, cut lines and glue 7. Paint.
available this set of additional Martian cloudships from marks will be visible and only painting will cover them
the game. This boxed set contains a total of four sprues up. Despite the small size of the ship models, painting
of plastic ships and bases. Each sprue has four bases, them is very easy. The hard plastic of the models takes
a small screw galley, a large screw galley, the hull and and holds either enamel or acrylic paint. For suggestions
mast for a small kite, and the hull and mast for a large on colors and techniques, see the end of this booklet.
kite. These are assembled as shown in the accompany-
ing diagram. CONVERTING MARTIAN SHIPS
IN THIS SECTION we are going to go through every
A SIMPLE CONVERSION GUIDE Martian ship described in Sky Galleons of Mars and ex
FOR FLYING VESSELS plain how to build it from the various parts included in
Adapted from an article by Stephen Laurence this box. As we do so, several terms will be used over
In Challenge Magazine and over again, so for clarity we'll discuss them first.
NOT ALL THE many different types of Martian cloud- Forecastle: The large decked structure that makes up
ships were represented in the original boxed game. But the front part of the ship.
with only 12 cloudship models in the game, players were Quarterdeck: The large decked structure that makes
understandably reluctant to begin cutting them apart and up the rear part of the ship.
experimenting with different configurations, especially Mounting Socket: The structure on the bottom of the
since most conversion jobs result in parts of several ships hull into which the end of the base fits.
being used to make one finished vessel. Outrigger: The two wings that extend to either side
Now that this boxed set is available, however, it's of the large kite's hull.
much easier to begin converting ships into the entire Sprue: The plastic "tree" to which the ship parts are
variety of kites and galleys that ply the skies above Mars. attached.
GDW
4 MARTIAN CONVERSIONS MARTIAN CONVERSIONS 5
Bloodrunner Whisperdeath
THE BLOODRUNNER conversion requires the hull of THE LARGE KITE included in the current set is pat-
a small screw galley and the mast of a small kite. Cut terned after the Whisperdeath, and can be used as is. It
both the forward and aft gangplanks off the hull. Sand has only one mast, though. To make an accurate version
the guns off the rear gun mounts and use one of the of the Whisperdeath, drill a hole in the quarterdeck just
gangplanks to make a single aft gun mount. Now cut one at the top of the aft stairs and glue a second upright mast
of the sails off the small kite's mast and glue it to the in place. If desired, a little bit of sheet styrene can be
top of the hull as an upright sail. used to make a more elaborate ram.
Warm Winds
Swiftwood THE MAIN FEATURE of the Warm Winds is that it's
THE SWIFTWOOD conversion requires the hull and really big. For this conversion you will need two large
mast of the small kite, the hull of the large screw galley, kites and one small one. Start with one of the large kite
and the mast of the large kite. Cut the quarterdeck off hulls and cut off the forecastle and the two outriggers.
of the small kite's hull and place it in your parts box. Next, cut the stern off flat slightly behind the two gun
Now cut the forecastle off the screw galley and glue it mounts on the quarterdeck, and then sand the guns off
in place of the small kite's quarterdeck. This now the mounts. Now take the second large kite and cut the
becomes the new bow of the ship. Now take the mast quarterdeck off immediately behind the stairs. Sand the
of the small kite and cut the two sails away from it. Glue guns flat on these two mounts and glue this piece to the
the mast in its normal place, where it now serves as the back of the first hull. You now have an enlarged
ship's outriggers. Finally, drill a hole in the deck im- quarterdeck.
mediately in front of the crosspiece of the outrigger and Next, take the hull of the small kite and cut the
glue the upright mast in place. foreward half of the ship off, making the cut just behind
the mounting socket. Sand the guns off this piece, and
sand the bottom of the mounting socket until it is even
with the bottom of the hull. Fill in the remaining depth
of the mounting socket with putty. Now glue this to the
U.S.S. Ranger main hull assembly.
THIS IS NOT a Martian vessel, but it is so easy to The last step is attachment of the masts. Glue the small
model that it seems foolish not to include it here. The kite's mast in place in its normal bracket. Drill two holes
Ranger is described in Cloudships and Gunboats. Begin in the quarterdeck, one immediately behind the stairs and
by making the Swiftwood conversion described above, one between the two aft gun mounts. Glue one of the
but leave off the mast. Now find a small piece of plastic large kite masts in each hole. You should cut one-eighth
rod or piece of scrap plastic that can be filed into the of an inch off the bottom of the mizzenmast (the one to
shape of a smokestack and glue it to the center of the the rear) before glueing it in place, however, so that it
quarterdeck. is shorter than the mainmast.
6 MARTIAN CONVERSIONS MARTIAN CONVERSIONS 7
Endtime Hullcutter
THIS IS A VERY EASY conversion and requires on- THE MODEL of the large screw galley is patterned
ly the hull of the small kite. The gun arrangement on deck after the Hullcutter and does not require any conversion
is correct as is. Just take putty and fill in the hole for work. Some sheet plastic can be used to detail the ram.
the mast. If desired, a small amount of putty can be used however, and that can improve the appearance of the
to round out the shape of the forecastle. piece considerably.