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Post by wisercj on Feb 18, 2016 19:56:58 GMT
Here is my Cowvalry unit facing off against the humans, in yet another repost from the old forum. In addition to creating lobototons from humans, the Martians experimented on other animals as well. One of the first was cows which they found in abundance grazing in the farm fields of the midwest. The cows proved to be very cooperative subjects, in comparison to the flighty humans, in the experiments to convert them into Cowbototons which were then formed into Cowvalry units. However they are not particularly efficient at attacking humans, unable to cross many obstacles and incapable of using even the crudest tools. They are able to get brief bursts of speed over flat surfaces and can use their mass to overcome fences, doors and crush humans (cows are statistically deadlier than sharks killing on average 22 humans a year as opposed to only 4 per year for sharks). As such for game purposes they are treated as a basic lobototon units with only the close combat capability. My Cowvalry began life as 1/72 scale Pegasus farm animals. A hole is drilled into their heads, the same way the martians would do it, with a pin vise and a small piece of wire is inserted. A piece of guitar string (for the cable texture) is wrapped around the neck and some green stuff or Milliput in this instance is used to create a small crown in top of the head, a control box under the neck, and a ball on the top of the wire for the artificial control device and signal antenna. I painted the cows as Holsteins (common for Iowa where my battles are fought) with martian metal scull caps and red eye sensors and then put some additional pins (wire from paperclips or Chinese food take out boxes actually) in to provide additional support when I glued them to their bases. Here they are with their lobototon brothers and a nice 15mm Peter Pig casualty figure to represent a crushed human. The pig is for a future lobotopig project. Here is the finished Cowvalry unit being driven into the attack by a Slaver. The martians discovered an added benefit of the Cowvalry in their inherent ability to lay land mines which would deter and and slow down human attackers, so a few of these have been added to the stands. Unfortunately, in spite of all the work I put into creating this unit, they have performed rather poorly on the battlefield. For the most part they have simply been turned into hamburger by human artillery before they could get into action. So in about five battles they have accounted for only one or two human infantry stands. As a result I have suspended work on the lobotopig, lobotosheep and lobotochicken projects, all from the same Pegasus farm animal box. At any rate they are great fun and always draw a comment or two so it has been worth it. One day I may get around to creating my lobotofarm herd. If nothing else it will make for good eating by the humans.
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Post by charleybourne on Feb 18, 2016 20:09:56 GMT
Utterly barking... or mooing? Somehow against all odds; awesome. I think I actually prefer them to lobototons.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 19, 2016 11:43:23 GMT
My heart goes out to the barbacues all around the states! What fun - ty! It puts to mind what the Martians might do in Africa and India with some of those animals - water buffalo, elephants!, hippos. I'd think the water buffalo would be the creature of choice. Or Aussie wallabeasts. A side experiment is one with dingos, baboons, or hyenas and wild dogs. Any meatloving pack animal would be nasty opponents as lobos, especially with their speed and enhanced (by the Martians) teeth. Let loose the dogs of war!
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Post by hardlec on Feb 19, 2016 15:42:28 GMT
There are breeds of dogs, such as Mastiffs, specifically bred for war. No doubt the humans are using them.
Without humans to maintain fences, bison and longhorns may be interbreeding. Scary stuff.
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Post by boxholder on Feb 20, 2016 2:55:52 GMT
The cowvalry is a great original idea!! Great going,wisercj.
Water buffalo or bison would be a serious threat to humans. Cape buffalo even better!!
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 20, 2016 12:07:25 GMT
Oh the mind doth boggle! I fear the charge of a herd of lobohorns (Texas Longhorns) is in the making somewhere out there. Look out Peco!
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Post by wisercj on Feb 20, 2016 15:17:26 GMT
My heart goes out to the barbacues all around the states! What fun - ty! It puts to mind what the Martians might do in Africa and India with some of those animals - water buffalo, elephants!, hippos. Let loose the dogs of war! I saw some 59 cent plastic elephants at the Party Store the other day and thought that they could be useful for a miniatures game, but I didn't pick them up as I am not into ancients at this time. Now I know what to use them for! So what if a few Lobotaphants show up in Iowa, its all Sci-fantasy anyway.
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Post by boxholder on Feb 20, 2016 16:04:56 GMT
Don't forget crocodiles (lobotodiles) and alligators (lobotogators)for Egypt and Louisiana scenarios, respectively. Big snappy water lizards are BAD news!! Damned inventive those Martians!
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 20, 2016 18:16:18 GMT
Egads, Martians solution to Marine waterbourne assault. All those longboats are now in jeporady. And in Africa, the lobohippos turn over large barges and the lobotodiles finish em off. Nasty! In South America, the Martians gave up on the lobopirrahna, too small to wire properly.
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Cowvalry
Feb 22, 2016 2:48:46 GMT
via mobile
Post by wisercj on Feb 22, 2016 2:48:46 GMT
And sharks with tiny heat rays attached to their heads!
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 22, 2016 12:51:54 GMT
Hahaha, its a question as to how they capture and maintain the sharks for the process - I'd think they might eat them! Now the seamammals like seals and sealions or even the airbreathers like dolphins, porpos..(can't spell more coffee!), and the mother of them all a whale!! Gads, (in Scotties voice - thar be whales caaptain!). Sorry its gone too far - pengiuns on patrol!! Need more coffee quick.
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Post by scottwashburn on Feb 22, 2016 19:18:59 GMT
The scary thing is that the Martians probably don't see much difference between humans and cows.
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Post by Quendil on Feb 22, 2016 19:20:18 GMT
The scary thing is that the Martians probably don't see much difference between humans and cows. Yes I can imagine that is the case. They could probably live on either but perhaps prefer the taste of Human blood
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Post by americanelm on Feb 22, 2016 20:54:07 GMT
In the "Mars Attacks!" board game, stampeding flaming cattle are a random event - the herd runs in random directions, disrupting whatever they hit.
I can see them damaging infantry or drones, or even knocking over a tripod if you are lucky. A large herd of cattle can do serious damage, and if panicked, could run directly at something as completely unfamiliar as a tripod.
You could even set a trap on the Texas front - a large herd of cattle held in a pen for 2 days without water. Wait for a tripod to get between them and a watering hole, and then open the pen. I promise you they would make a beeline for the water, tripod or not.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 23, 2016 11:50:20 GMT
LOL love the thoughts! But, with the Texans more or less cutoff, they wouldn't waste there food supply by killing herds of longhorns just to take out (maybe) one tripod or two. Part of my arguement about the use of lobos is the waste of Martian food - but, I guess they just gather them up after a battle and extract the lobo parts(?). One reason the Gatherer is style around after the introduction of the much more advanced Harvester.
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