Some decent progress on the blocking in today, with the matt white basecoat applied to the models, ready for a Vallejo Medium Fleshtone top coat tomorrow once it's all dry. After that I'll do a quick tidy up around the edges before applying the usual wash, which helps to add some definition and shading. These are all actual Chilean warships and torpedo boat destroyers, apart fron the two 'What If?' Swiftsure class battleships, Libertad and Constitucion, which were never delivered.
I've been farting about with some ideas for strafing in Algy, as it is conspicuously absent from the rules yet very much an aspect of air warfare, especially in 1917-18 for trench strafing sorties. I'm starting with the existing rules for firing but adapting the process by altering the firing arcs, dice roll modifiers and firing factors, along with a simple table to assess results for different ground targets. It's nothing too complicated but rear gunners do need to be factored in, both for firing and also for the use of hand held light bombs or hand grenades. It's a work in progress but I'm fairly confident that something simple but consistent with the existing rules can be designed.
After a little over one year, the Algernon Pulls It Off! Facebook group has hit the four hundred member mark, which is quite an impressive total and really encouraging, considering how old the rules are and how little visibility they have compared to other, more up to date systems. I'm hoping that this momentum will continue but it will really need some more input to keep things moving forwards. I recently raised the possibility of a revised, updated and improved version of the rules as a potential Lard Mag submission, so I had better start thinking about having a go at this if it's actually going to happen!
As Paul Sulley put a lot of time and effort into expanding the 1/600th scale French range, it is only fair that I order some of the models and paint them up! I've ordered some packs of Breguet XIV bombers and SPAD VII scouts, which I will paint up for late 1917 in the distinctive, but simple scheme before three tone camouflage was adopted, so a nice and easy job. I've also ordered a pack of the Morane Saulnier N 'bullet' monoplane scouts, which will be painted as RFC machines of No.60 Squadron, with bright red engine cowlings and spinners. Tally Ho!
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!
