Half Term Fleet in a Week: Assembly

O'Higgins (converted Asama) 

Almirante Latorre (original / modernised) 

Chacabuco (Takasago) 

Almirante Williams / Serrano

Libertad / Constitucion

Almirante Cochrane 

It's flipping hot today so all DIY has been cancelled, giving me a free afternoon to assemble the 1/3000th scale interwar Chilean fleet. I added brass masts to the models as I had some new 0.3mm rod that I ordered by mistake, but which is ideal for the top masts. I also converted the Navwar Japanese armoured cruiser Asama into something not unlike the Chilean O'Higgins. The next thing to do will be to base the models with acrylic paste, which is a different approach compared to my other 1/3000th stuff but which I use successfully for my 1/2400th scale models. 

Half Term Chilean Interwar Fleet in a Week

 

A slight change of plan after I realised that painting the Royal Navy for the Norwegian Campaign might be a little ambitious in one week? Instead, I'm going to paint and base almost the entire Chilean navy c1937-38 for an Interwar extension of my ongoing 'What If?' Chile vs Argentina naval campaign. The models are all from Navwar with some new additions making it a feasible project, along with a couple of 'might have been?' extras, including the dreadnought battleship Almirante Cochrane as converted into an aircraft carrier. I'll get cracking today! 

Half Term Home Fleet in a Week

It's the May half term holiday next week and I thought I'd have another crack at painting and basing a Fleet in a Week. I've done this before and it's a really good challenge that helps to shift a lot of lead in the right direction. This time I'm probably painting the early war Royal Navy warships for the Norwegian campaign, to add to the ones I have already done. The 1/3000th scale models are all prepared, so I can start painting straight away, which is a bonus. I may well add one or two more battleships to the mix and possibly another carrier. 

War of the Pacific Base Repainting

I've been meaning to repaint the bases of my 1/2400th scale War of the Pacific models for a while, as they don't match my other ironclad ships and are too dark compared to the blue sea terrain cloth that I use for games. This is a relatively simple task but does require some precision to avoid getting paint all over the models. The base labels will be replaced with new ones printed on more durable thin card, so I don't need to worry about splashing blue paint all over them. It'll be a good job once done as I'd like to run some more games with the Chilean and Peruvian fleets, having really enjoyed the scenarios I devised for Dahlgren and Columbiad a few years ago, although I might dust off Iron and Fire instead? 

Argentinian Pre-Dreadnoughts Finished

Argentinian Pre-dreadnought Painting Progress

Some really good progress with the 1/2400th scale pre-dreadnoughts over the weekend, means that I only need to paint the bases and add a varnish to finish them off, bar the base labels. They've turned out alright and will really beef up the Argentinian fleet, apart from the Chilean Blanco Encalada obviously! I'm going to aim to finish them off tomorrow before I start preparing my half term holiday project....which is very much in the same vein but in a smaller naval scale. 

There She Blows! Up?

It was the Partizan show in Newark at the weekend, which is just a bit too far for me to go but seems to be probably the best wargaming show on the calender these days, even knocking the juggernaut that is Salute off its over inflated perch. Despite not being able to attend, I was delighted to see that my scratch built armoured train was in action with the League of Extraordinary Kriegspielers, for a stunning Back of Beyond themed game based on the absolutely barking Mad Baron himself. It looks as though it blew up in spectacular fashion, however, which seems to be par for the course. I really should make a replacement version for my Back of Beyond collection some day, with the Chinese Warlord or White Russian lead pile in mind?

New Colonial Wargame Rules

 

As Kipling once quipped, and I paraphrase, "a gentleman can never have too many books, too much red wine or too much ammunition" or colonial wargaming rules for that matter. This is a newly published set of rules that caught my eye and as it is currently discounted to a tenner, I have purchased a copy for a closer look. The author is well versed in the subject matter and has devised the system over many years, so it is well grounded in both historical and mechanical terms. It draws upon rules like The Sword and the Flame and The Men Who Would Be Kings but is a distinct system with a very interesting card based mechanism. I don't know if I'll do anything with it but it may be a stimulus to finish off  my 28mm Beja army or even excavate my old 15mm Patrols in the Sudan lead pile, who knows? 

Argentinian Pre-Dreadnought Blocking In

After a brief intermission due to work I'm now cracking on with the Argentinian Pre-dreadnought additions to my 'What If?' project, starting with blocking in the hulls and upper works in a base coat of matt white. This will be followed by the decking and then a top coat of Vallejo Medium Flesh Tone on the funnels and masts. The two Ansaldo designed battleships were a pain in the bum to paint due to the tumble home but I think they will be pretty nifty when I'm finished. 

It's....AK-47 Competition Time!

After a long and tedious day at work, there's nothing better than a little competition to cheer things up a bit. I've started a not very serious competition over on the AK-47 Facebook group which involves a simple objective, namely to present a photo of a single 30mm x 30mm foot group, small arms, heavy weapons, commander or whatever, to show off your best painting, basing and modelling. No prizes, just for fun, but I'm hoping it will give people some inspiration for their own armies and encourage new players to have a go. Deadline 25th May.

Re-thinking Rugen

I've been re-thinking the 1/2400th scale Tumbling Dice models that I'm going to use for the Danish and Prussian ships at the Battle of Rügen. The gunboats will remain the same but the larger ships will use different models after a bit of research into relative dimensions and tonnage. I'll post a full breakdown later but I have decided to start from scratch with the models, as the ones I assembled previously are not very well constructed. I've got a lot more experience converting and detailing the TD models, so it will be worth the extra time and effort.

Strafing Rules for Algernon Pulls Its Off!

 

I spent a couple of hours in total over the last week or so, drafting a set of simple ground attack or 'trench strafing' rules for Algernon Pulls It Off!, based on the core mechanics of the rules but with a few adaptations to fit the task. These are very much experimental and will need to be play tested but I think the basics are about right. There are no rules for dropping light bombs or hand grenades, as the former is already covered in the rules and the latter is factored into the system as a means of target suppression, rather than to cause damage. I've posted it on the Facebook group but I'm not sure that anyone will bother reading them, so I'll have to try them out myself to see if they actually do the job...I'm already thinking of a few tweaks to the range bands, for example!

SPAD VII Scenario Research

This is the latest and quite possibly the last addition to my stack of Osprey Publishing WW1 aircraft books, a gap in my bookshelf that I've now filled and a source of potential ideas for Algy scenarios. I like the format of this series, at least for the aircraft focussed titles, and Jon Guttman really knows his stuff. I'm going to see if I can find enough information to put together a historical scenario that can be the basis of a good multiplayer game, with some cross referencing and research to fill in the gaps.

Chilean Pre-dreadnought Fleet Review

The additional ships and torpedo boats that I've been painting up for the Chilean pre-dreadnought fleet are now finished, apart from the recently converted model of the Blanco Encalada. I've now got a decent cruiser squadron to deploy, as well as the compact but powerful Swiftsure class battleships and some nippy torpedo boats to discombobulate the Argentinian opposition. I'm quite pleased with this lot and I'm looking forward to some more solo games in my ongoing Broadside and Salvo campaign.

Chilean Chop Shop Cruiser Conversion

A quiet afternoon for a change meant I could take some time to convert a Tumbling Dice Yoshino into the Chilean protected cruiser Black Encalada. This involves quite a lot of filing, cutting, filling and fettling, but I'm pleased with the end result, although it's not exactly an accurate reproduction. I'll base it up and undercoat, then add it to the Argentinian pre-dreadnoughts now sitting on the workbench for painting. 

Argentinian Pre-dreadnought Painting

I've now finished painting the Chilean pre-dreadnoughts, which just need base labels and a magnet strip applied, so it's on to the Argentinian ships this weekend. These consist of the two armoured cruisers that were sold to Japan and the two proposed Ansaldo designed fast battleships that were never built, based on the Regina Elena model from the Tumbling Dice range but with twin main armament in both turrets. The first thing to do is to block in the hull and superstructure in Vallejo Cold White, mixed 50/50 with Warpaints White for extra coverage. 

Digger Dogfight Club Game

I'm lining up another game of Algernon Pulls It Off! at the club next month, this time a straight up dogfight between No 4 Squadron AFC and Jasta 18. I've played this scenario a few times and it's always good fun, with lots of manoeuvring, firing and the occasional spin to live things up. I've not set a date yet but probably early June, which might give me time to paint some 1/300th scale Camels and Albatros DV's, if I get cracking over half term in a couple of weeks time. Tally Ho!

Return Ticket to Rügen

For my next 'tying up loose ends' project, I'm going back to a naval wargaming project of many years gestation, the Battle of Jasmund / Rugen in March 1864 during the Second Schleswig War. I've had the models for this, assembled, based and  ready to paint, for well over a decade, so it's about time I actually ticked it off the 'to do' list. After a review of the 1/2400th Tumbling Dice models I previously prepared for the Danish and Prussian flotillas, I'm making some significant changes to the line up, but the Prussians are good to go as soon as I finish the Argentinian pre-dreadnoughts currently on the workbench. It will be great to finally have the chance to re-enact this obscure but significant naval clash, then hopefully work toward the other actions fought during the war. 

Chilean Pre-dreadnought Painting Final Stretch

The 1/2400th scale Chilean pre-dreadnoughts are now nearly ready for the final base painting, varnishing and labelling, which I'm very pleased about as I can then move onto the Argentinian ships. I just need to dry brush the bases, add some wakes and now waves, then varnish in two stages before I can print and attach the labels. I'm actually thinking of sprucing up the labels on the test of my models, as they've seen some action and are looking a bit tatty! 

Tying Up More Loose Ends

Too dark 

I'm getting there slowly but surely with my Chilean and Peruvian pre-dreadnoughts and have been thinking about the next one of loose ends to tidy up. I've been meaning to repaint the bases on my War of the Pacific ships for months, if not years, so that job is a strong contender for a weekend in the not too distant future. I've repainted bases before and it's a relatively simple, if slightly fiddly job, but it does make them match the sea cloth I use to a far better effect. I'll make a start as soon as the current Chilean pre-dreadnoughts are finished and while I paint up the Argentinian models.