Sushi or Spaghetti?

 

I've decided to shelve my Chain of Command project for the summer, as it wasn't going anywhere over the last couple of weeks, and instead focus my efforts on a project from my naval wargaming 'to do' list for this year. The game of Find, Fix and Strike I played the other day has inspired me to base and paint a 1/3000th scale force to use against my existing French fleet. I have narrowed this down to two options - the first obvious and second a little left field. 

The obvious option is an Italian fleet, built around a couple of battleships, four heavy cruisers, six light cruisers and about eight destroyers, the exact ships being picked from the selection that I already have in the lead pile. This would be for a c1940 'What If?' clash in the Eastern Mediterranean, which would help to avoid the games being dominated by shore based aircraft. This has been done many times before but it's a good option as it is historically valid, if completely counterfactual.

The second option, for which I also have a wide selection of models, would be for a late 1930's Japanese fleet, again built along similar lines but possibly with the addition of a single carrier. I played a Victory at Sea scenario at the club a few years ago, based on a Japanese attack on French Indochina in 1941, so that would be the rationale again albeit at an earlier date. I like the idea of this a more than the spaghetti option, as it's a bit different and the Japanese ships are also really impressive as models and as warships in their own right.

I'll make up my mind over the next couple of days, then get started on the painting.