I spotted this lot on eBay a couple of days ago and put in a speculative bid. Lo and behold, I now have fifty quids worth of 1/2400th scale Tumbling Dice Mediterranean Renaissance warships for only fifteen quid, postage included, which is a bit of a steal. This assumes that I actually do something with them, of course, otherwise it's just more lead lined loft insulation!
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| Blanco Encalada |
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| Blanco Encalada |
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| Yoshino |
I've re-booted the South American pre-dreadnought project today with the Chilean 'What If?' battleships, Libertad and Constitucion, the armoured cruiser Chacabuco, the obsolete central battery ironclad Almirante Lynch and, last but not least, four Capitan Orella class TBD's. The latter are actually Arab class TBD models with the funnels cut down, so not exactly a match but good enough, as I suspect no one will know the difference? I'm going to paint all of these in the same black, white and yellow ochre scheme as my existing Chilean squadron, so that there is a consistent look to the Chilean naval forces.
I was on a long road trip yesterday down to Plymouth and back, so had time to reflect on my lack of progress this far this year. I've started two or three projects with the best of intentions but these have all fizzled out due to a lack of focus and a failure on my part to get over my perennial painters' block. I'm also lacking the drive to play any actual games, perhaps due to having played a lot last year for the Algy scenario project.
To rectify this but keep up some forward momentum and get some useful stuff done, I'm going to do what I've done before in this situation and finish off some loose ends. These are all nautical and include my Argentinian and Chilean 'What If?' pre dreadnoughts, the re basing of my War of the Pacific Chilean and Peruvian fleets to match my sea cloth properly, and possibly the ships for my very old 1864 Second Schleswig War naval project, which are all assembled, based and basecoated.
I think this will be both productive and also a way to dust off a couple of old but much loved naval wargaming projects for a few small solo games before the summer holidays in three months time.
I unearthed a scenario that I wrote fur the Rabens Ravens Lard Mag article today, one that didn't make it into the selection as I didn't have a chance to play test it. This is set in May 1918 and involves a 'bounce' by two highly experienced Jasta 18 pilots on three SPAD scouts of the American 103rd Aero Squadron, led by Junior Ace 1st Lt. Paul Baer. The outcome of the actual dogfight was a walkover for the Jasta 18 'experten', shooting down Baer and one of his wingmen for no loss. It's a good scenario for a quick game and ideal for beginners, as there are no formations, blinds or other distractions, with clear objectives for both sides and some aces thrown in for added fun! It's available to download from the Algy Facebook group.
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| HMS Brittania |
I was sorting through my box of 1/2400th Tumbling Dice models, ready for the Summer Project, when I discovered a small stash of ships that I had set aside as box fillers for my French and British fleets. These include HMS Victory or Brittania (100), HMS Neptune (98) and HMS Agamemnon (64) for the Royal Navy. For La Royale there's Mont Blanc (74), Argonaute (74), Indivisible (80) and L'Insurgente (36), as well as an unrated Xebec for dispatch duties. The plan is to assemble and paint these first, before moving on to the Spanish, which I've cleared a whole section of the box to fill up with!
I spotted a set of 1/200th scale decals for JG2 Fw190-A3 fighters on the Sieben Schwaben Facebook page yesterday. I thought to myself that this sheet would be fantastic as a way to start up my 1/300th scale Fw190 models for Bag the Hun, if I could get them rescaled. These models have been used in scenarios that I've either written, like Sinker Saves the Day, or worked on as part of the Westland Whirlwind project, including S-Boote Strike and Itching to Mix It!. I sent a cheeky request to Bernhard and he immediately jumped on it! He's rescaled the sheet to 1/285th and I've ordered it, ready to start up the otherwise vanilla fighters, which will look so much better with the added details. A big thumbs up to Bernard, who I'm now going to pester for some No.263 Squadron Whirlwind and No.129 Squadron Spitfire VB decals!
I've been doing some proof reading for a set of innovative and very interesting air wargaming rules recently. The rules are called Load and Return and, unlike most aerial rules, are focussed on fire fighting rather than actual aerial combat, which makes a very refreshing change, especially in this day and age. The author knows his stuff and has created a really thorough yet dynamic system, with some really creative mechanics and even a campaign system. I'm looking forward to play testing in the not too distant future but, for the moment, I'm simply casting an eye over syntax, grammar and clarity. I think this is a very promising concept and will be an excellent, highly engaging game to play.
A good start on the BPB Motor Gun Boats and RAF Rescue Launch today, blocking in the bases and giving the models a matt black basecoat, ready for blocking in the principal hull and topside colours. I've left the Kriegsmarine escorts to one side for the moment, so that I can concentrate on getting these painted first. I'm hoping that it won't take too long to get these finished, as I also have a convoy of merchant shipping to paint up, not to mention re-basing and tarting up my existing kit.
I'd forgotten about this but was kindly reminded by Jimmy James over in the AK-47 FB group the other day, so have pimped up the poster for the occasion. It's a way off yet but that means plenty of time to get organised for a game, which should be feasible as it's a bank holiday here in the sunny UK. I'll have to see what I can get organised at the club, which meets on a Tuesday, or possibly at home with the boy, as he'll be off work too. I haven't played a game in ages, so what better than International AK-47 Wargaming Day to dust off some technicals and take them for a test drive!
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| Voisin 8 |
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| Caudron RII |
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| Breguet XIV |
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| Nieuport 28 |
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| Salmson 2 |
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| SPAD VII |
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| Morane Saulnier N |
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| Nieuport 17 |
Paul Sulley from Tumbling Dice was kind enough to send me some samples of the new 1/600th French aircraft he has just produced, although not yet available on the website. These fill some big gaps in the existing range, which is primarily early war, which means that the French, Italian, American, Belgian and Russian air forces are now feasible, give or take a couple of types. The Russian Civil War and Russo Polish War are also possible, so not just the First World War. I'm particularly impressed by the Breguet XIV, which is a lovely model and really looks like the real thing. Excellent!
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| BPB 72' MGB's |
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| BPB 70' MGB's |
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| BPB RAF Rescue Launch |
Back home today after the holiday trip and on to the workbench to get the PT Dockyard British Power Boat Motor Gunboats assembled and undercoated. These are resin cast models and require a lot of attention to get them ship shape but, as they're the only option in 1/600th scale it's worth the effort. I replaced some of guns with a Tumbling Dice metal casting, which isn't accurate but a lot less likely to be snapped off than the resin equivalent. I also have a Tumbling Dice BPB RAF rescue launch to paint up, along with a downed air crew, so a nice collection of themed models to get painted over the weekend, if I have the time. I may even base these first, following my established method, rather than painting then basing later.
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| The Royal Navy Fleet |
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| The Spanish Fleet... |
A couple of years ago I started a 1/2400th scale Napoleonic Naval project, designed for large scale fleet games but also for small frigate actions in a compact space. This was quite productive and I ended up with two fleets, one French and one British, although never got round to actually playing any games. I subsequently stared to build the models for an American squadron but they are still in a box waiting to be painted.
I also gathered together a large selection of models for a Spanish fleet but, in the end, didn't make a start on them, or any new terrain for that matter. I'm now considering picking up the project with the objective being International Naval Wargaming Day in a few months time. The focus would be on the Spanish fleet or the American squadron, together with a few terrain pieces if I can find the time?
I was very surprised but excited to hear that a new edition of Cry Havoc, possibly my favourite hex and counter game, is being published soon by Footsore Miniatures as a Kickstarter. It's a simple repeat of the original but with updated graphics and maps that are green rather than bright yellow, so I don't really need to get a copy as I have the original. However, I will probably do so anyway, as I am a big fan of the game, as is my son (although he prefers Samurai Blades). It's launching in a few days, so keep an eye out!
We're heading home in a few days so, to make the most of the holiday time left, I'm re-reading this book. Despite the title, it's an overarching account of coastal forces action in all of the theatres of the Second World War, but my interest lies primarily in the early war period in the English Channel and North Sea. It's a really good introduction to the subject and I remember it as being well worth reading as a primer for coastal forces wargaming, so time well spent.
I've been scribbling some outline notes for a Torpedoes and Tides scenario set in May 1942. This involves a minelaying sortie by a rotte of two S-38 boats of the 4th S-Boote Flotilla, based in Boulogne, in the convoy lanes off Dungeness. A patrolling Isles class trawler, HMS Sir Galahad, is in the area and bumps into the enemy E-boats, who must sink her or force her to retreat, then evade back to their base, scoring set victory points for doing so. The trawler has to batter, wreck or force off the two enemy boats before being sunk, scoring cumulative points for the damage inflicted.
There will be fog patches and a partial moon to add a bit of tactical shenanigans, while the E-boats will have zero torpedo reloads, being lightened for the minelaying sortie, so once expended they'll be down to guns only. I expect the trawler will go down fighting but as long as enough damage is inflicted on the E-boats to disrupt the mine laying mission, there's a chance it won't be a walkover for the Kriegsmarine, assuming I balance the victory points properly?
One of the S-boote, S-55, will be C2 as it was the highly experienced CO, Götz Freiherr von Mirbach's boat, while the trawler commander and crew will also be C2 to give her a fighting chance. I'm not sure if the mine laying task will actually have to be carried out, as that would complicate things and be a bit unlikely, but it's still a work in progress and may be tweaked a bit. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, when I get round to it, and if I will need to beef up the RN or not by using a more powerful escort like a destroyer or corvette.
Every summer holiday I usually run a short solo naval campaign of some sort, occasionally interspersed with an air wargaming effort. This summer I'm planning to do the same and have three potential options:
1. Napoleonic Naval
This would use my respectable collection of 1/2400th scale French, British and Spanish fleets, the latter being the only thing I'd need to paint in the run up. The rules would be Far Distant Ships or Grand Fleet Actions, so this would be for games with squadrons rather than individual ships, although a few frigate actions might well be in order.
2. WW2 Coastal Forces
This would be a mini-campaign using Torpedoes and Tides, probably set in 1942 or thereabouts on the East Coast convoy route or along the English Channel. For this I'd need to re-base and tart up my existing 1/600th scale models, paint a merchant convoy of shipping and some German convoy escorts. A bit more work required but lots of potential for some narrative campaigning.
3. South American Interwar 'What If?'
A favourite theme of mine, as evidenced by a previous pre-dreadnought campaign, is a fictional yet feasible conflict between Chile, Argentina and Brazil. This time I'd be using the 1/3000th scale Navwar fleets for Argentina and Brazil, with the Chileans possibly making an appearance too. I would need to order some additional models from Navwar, now that it is up and running, as well as painting up everything required. I'd use Find, Fix and Strike for this campaign.
I have no Royal Navy Motor Gun Boats, apart from a single dodgy model of a Fairmile C, in my 1/600th collection, but that is soon to be remedied. Fortunately, I have three of each of these resin cast models from PT Dockyard in the box, which I acquired years ago for the fast play Schnellboote rules, and I've rediscovered them after a bit of a rummage. This saves me the hassle of having to order some or finding some alternative, possibly 3D printed equivalent, as no one makes any in metal.
The BPB 72' models have been assembled, not an easy task as they're very fiddly and a bit fragile, but I've yet to glue together the earlier 70' models. The PT Dockyard range is excellent but they are cast in quite delicate resin and are very prone to breaking if handled roughly, so much so that I have replaced some of the smaller gun mountings with less accurate but more durable metal parts.
I'm going to assemble the early BPB boats when I get back from the holidays and paint them up for some Torpedoes and Tides early war a actions. This will give me more options for scenarios against S-Boote, especially if I can get the merchant convoy ships painted and based as well. I also have some Kriegsmarine escort craft to paint that will enable me to run some torpedo boat actions against German coastal convoys, using both MTB's and MGB's if I get it all sorted.
Cracking!
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I deactivated my Facebook account a couple of months ago as it was sapping all my time, energy and motivation. I was particularly tired of all the nasty politics and rage baiting that seemed to dominate my FB feed, so a break was a really good idea. Almost by accident I'm now back on FB but only in a limited way, with just the one group to focus on as an admin, in the shape of Algernon Pulls It Off!
The group has been drifting along quite happily in my absence, but I'm going to try to give it a bit of a boost with some new content focusing on the 1/600th additions to the Tumbling Dice WW1 French range. I might even have a go at a solo campaign based on a fictitious French escadrille in late 1917 or early 1918. This is something I've been thinking about for a while but haven't done any work on, so it would kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
Tally Ho!
The next book on my holiday reading list is this fairly recent one on Operation Chariot, which I have in good old fashioned hardback. I've read several books on the St.Nazaire raid before so this will be interesting in comparison. It has an obvious but tenuous link to my current coastal warfare project too, although I very much doubt I'll be wargaming it any time soon!
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| Step 6 |
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| Step 5 |
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| Step 4 |
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| Step 3 |
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| Step 2 |
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| Step 1 |
I was asked to explain how I go about painting my 2mm Hundred Years War bases, so here is the sequence of paint steps starting with the bases undercoated in Halfords Ultra Matt Camo Brown and finishing with a dry brush of very old Humbrol Lime Green. The first two or three steps are wet brushed, the rest either dry brushed or washed, followed by a coat of spray matt varnish to seal it all in. After painting the figures, over a matt black undercoat, I also then add a brush coat of gloss varnish if they are wearing armour, otherwise they lose a bit of shine.
