A Stern View

I've decided to split the Royal Navy painting plan into two bits, to make it more manageable and to enable me to get some models onto the table sooner rather than later. This means that the carrier, fixed wing aircraft and auxilliaries have been moved aside, to make way for the commando carrier, destroyers, frigates, minesweepers and submarines, as well as the required helicopters. 

I also included the modernised HMS Blake helicopter cruiser in the schedule, as I have the model so might as well paint it while I wait for the other one to arrive from Navwar, alongside some new shiny things like Type 15 and Whitby frigates, Daring class destroyers and even some Sparviero FAC's, that I'm going to try to use as ersatz Komars for the other side. 

I will, however, have to try my hand at converting the back end of the Navwar Rothesey class frigates in order to de-modernise them. This requires the removal of the cast on helicopter, to be replaced by a well for the twin Limbo mortars, with a bit of surgery to the hanger to deconstruct it. I will probably cheat a bit to simplify this remodelling, so it shouldn't be too much trouble? 

Royal Navy Indonesian Confrontation Task Force

This is my proposed line up for the Royal Navy task force for the Indonesian Confrontation 'What If?' project, although there are still a couple of ships missing and perhaps a few too many already? I did originally have HMS Tiger in her helicopter cruiser configuration but decided to leave her out as she was only converted in 1969, so too late for the conflict. The Leander Class frigates are also a bit of a push but are just about in time to be included, while the one Salisbury and two Rothesay class FF's aren't a problem. I've chosen to mainly include named warships that were operational during the conflict but also added some that weren't, as it's a 'What If?' scenario and I have some leeway to be creative.

I really would like to have some of the modernised 'Ca' class frigates, a couple of RAN Daring class destroyers and HMS Tiger in her pre-modernised format, but they will have to wait. The fixed wing aircraft are for HMS Eagle's wing, although the Buccaneers should and will probably be swapped out for Scimitars given the timeframe. Four of the Wessex Commando choppers will be allocated to HMS Albion and two for the County Class destroyers. The Wasps are obviously destined for the frigates. It's quite a lot to get tidied up, based and painted but I'm thinking of changing my approach to a base then undercoat and paint method, which I'm hoping might speed things up a bit?

Indonesian Fleet Finished

Il-28T Beagle Strike Bombers

Whiskey Class Submarines

Landing Ship Tank (LST)

Skory Class Destroyers

Riga Class Frigates

Don Class Sub Command Ship

The Flagship

Sverdlov Class Light Cruiser

Cruiser Task Group

I've been really ill the last couple of days but before that, I finished off the Indonesian warships for my 1960's Indonesian Confrontation 'What If? project, including some dual purpose anti-shipping strike and/or maritime reconnaissance Il-28 Beagle aircraft. The bases didn't turn out as nicely as I hoped and the paintwork is decidedly wargames standard but, on the whole, I'm not unhappy with the outcome. I'm now thinking of tackling the Royal Navy half next, rather than move straight on to the Cruel Seas project, so that I have both sides available for some play test games of Naval Command by the end of the month. I'll scale down my plans to make this a manageable painting load but there will still be a good variety of types to make up a balanced task group for various mission scenarios.

Strontium Dog Solo Campaign Rules

I spotted this on TMP yesterday and followed the link to the Warlord Games download of a full solo campaign module for Strontium Dog. I was expecting a couple of sides of A4 bolt on rules but was impressed to find full campaign system complete with all the whistles and bells, which is even better when you consider the fact that it's completely free. Who knows, I might even get round to opening my unused Starter Set at some point, once I've dusted it off!

https://www.warlordgames.com/bounty-hunter-solo-play-rules-for-strontium-dog/

Ship Bases Sorted

As I'm currently off work due to the lockdown, I had some time yesterday to paint the bases for the 1/3000th scale Indonesian fleet, using the usual combination of Foundry Union Blue, Vallejo Deep Sky Blue and Vallejo White, applied in layers and dry brushed highlights. For some reason, this didn't come out as I expected and I was initially worried that I'd have to start all over again, but with a top layer of gloss varnish it doesn't look too bad. I'll glue the models down today and then add the base labels, which should tidy things up a bit more and make them look a bit better?

Bases and Beagles

I braved the sub-zero temperature in the garage this afternoon to texture the sea bases for the Indonesian warships, using the usual artist's acrylic paste and spatula method. I also knocked together some bases for the 1/600th scale Il-28T Beagle torpedo bombers, using some laser cut mdf squares and panel pin stands, so that the magnets on the underside of the aircraft have something to attach on to. I also found the decals that I will use on the Il-28's in the relevant box, so I'm ready to add them as soon as I've thawed out. I was going to have a whole selection of aircraft including MiG-17's, MiG-19's and a few more Il-28's, not to mention three gigantic Tu16's, but I've decided to keep it simple for the moment so that I can wrap up the project in the next few days.

Indonesian Navy Painted

I braved a ******** freezing workbench this afternoon to get the paintwork finished on the 1/3000th scale 1960's Indonesian fleet, which is now sitting in a box waiting for the matt varnish to dry, which might take a fairly long time given the ambient temperature in the garage. 

The result of my efforts definitely won't set the naval wargaming world on fire, as they are pretty basic and workmanlike, but the aim is to get them on the table, so I'm fairly happy with the end result. They will look better when I've based them too, at least that's what I'm telling myself. 

There are also a trio of 1/600th scale Il-28 Beagles to paint up that I salvaged in a half painted state from another project, so they shouldn't take too long to do. I'm hoping to start the basing tomorrow and have already typed up the base labels, complete with some tongue twisting but accurate titles to confuse the opposition!

Rapid Fire Reloaded

It's too flipping cold in the garage for painting today, so I've been thinking about my options for a 15mm WW2 wargaming project for later in the year. I have always planned to do this using I 'Aint Been Shot Mum for company level wargaming, although I have also considered Chain of Command for platoon level actions, the former with multiple and the latter with individually based 15mm figures. 

However, there's a new stripped down version of Rapid Fire! that might well bridge the gap, enabling me to set up some skirmish style games with a minimum of figures that could subsequently be expanded out to cater for one of the Too Fat Lardies rules. I'd probably aim to base in multiples of two figures to a base, which ties in nicely with both Rapid Fire! and IABSM, so I could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Valiant Miniatures 5th DCLI

I did actually have a half finished Rapid Fire! late war British project in 20mm years ago but that went to eBay when no one at the club was interested. I have also thought again about 20mm as an option, making use of my AFV's for What a Tanker! which are all painted and ready to roll, but I think 15mm is probably a better way forward. So, to cut a long ramble short, I've sent off for a copy of the Rapid Fire Reloaded rules to take a closer look and see if they are any good for 15mm.

Schnellboote Reboot

It's January, so time for a new project, the first of 2021 but one which I already made a start on a couple of years ago. 

The project for this month is to complete the 5th S-Boat Flotilla for Cruel Seas, which consists of seven torpedo boats including two converted into S-38b class versions, with the rest being the standard S-100 class. 

To get this done, I will need to finish painting the hulls and individual weapon mounts, before gluing them together and adding the torpedoes. I have some 1/300th decals to finish them off with when they arrive in the post from Flight Deck Decals across the pond. 

If I get all that tucked away, which is a bit of a long shot, I'm going to crack on with some larger boats for the mid-war Kreigsmarine including a Vorpostenboot, a couple of Raumboote and possibly an M Class minesweeper.

Projects and Plans 2021

Happy New Year!

Here are the things I'm going to be working on this year in my 'Let 'Em Have It 2021' naval wargaming project campaign:

1. 1/300th Cruel Seas

This was in my list last year but didn't happen, primarily as it was aimed at multiplayer club games, but I've had a re-think and will now focus it on scenarios I can run at home, either solo or with the sprogs. The initial focus will be on the Kriegsmarine and the 5th S-Boote flotilla c1944 but I have plans to diversify, with some RN MTB's, MGB's and trawlers to follow.

2. 1/3000th WW2

This was also on my 2020 'to do' list but got sidelined by other things, so it's coming back in 2021 with a focus on the early war Kriegsmarine and Royal Navy, with a specific emphasis on destroyer and cruiser actions, rather than capital ships, at least to start with. I am thinking of using Find, Fix and Strike as the rules for this project, with Naval Thunder as a fall back.

3. 1/2400th Pre-dreadnoughts

I made good progress with this project last year, assembling, basing and undercoating French and Italian fleets from Tumbling Dice, so it would be a shame not to see them painted and in action this year. I'm also considering extending the project to the Sino-Japanese War, which is a really interesting conflict for the early pre-dreadnought period. The rules will be Tsushima or Broadside and Salvo.

4. 1/600th Steamer Wars

This was a project that popped up this year but only got to the planning stage, with the models ordered frim Tumbling Dice but then stashed for a rainy day. The plan is to paint up German, Belgian and British coastal forces for action on Lake Tanganyika, using Steamer Wars and the supplement for the rules. I will probably use my existing coastal terrain for this with a few specific additional features.

5. 1/3000th Cold War Naval

A new project for 2021, although it's something I've thought about doing before, with a focus on the Indonesian Confrontation as a 'What If?' conflict. I've already gathered together two naval forces for this, with the Royal Navy and Indonesian Navy of the mid 1960's well catered for, alongside the aircraft for both sides in 1/600th scale. I also have some sketchy plans for some more up to date modern fleets.

6. 10/15mm WW2 / Modern

I can't just do naval things, so I'm also going to have at least one land based project in 10 or 15mm, having not painted a single figure or vehicle in smaller scales in 2020. I had a go at 28mm painting last year with the Beja army, which reminded me why 15mm is a much better scale for my painting purposes! I am now thinking of starting a 15mm WW2 late war platoon or company level project, or at the very least some 10mm or 15mm modern wargaming perhaps based on Sandbox Skirmish revived, but I'm not making any definitive plans just yet.

No planes this year? No, I'm going to stick to naval projects but there will be some 1/600th scale aircraft required for a couple of these, so I will be able to get some aircraft painted at some point. Will anything else squeeze it's way onto the workbench? Almost certainly, with 1/3000th scale modern fleets and 1/700th scale modern fast attack already in  the side lines, but I will try to stick much more to the straight and narrow in 2021!