Black Seas and the USN

Here's my story. Many, many moons ago I purchased Black Seas and expected to dive into the "age of sail" in 1/700 scale and be a Horacio Hornblower reborn. Except, the wargaming butterfly that is I moved onto another project (anybody not see that coming?) way before paint met model and rigging sail lead to s a sense of frustration, so the box sadly languished in a dark place the loft. I did construct the free (well you had to but the magazine) giveaway frigate from the cover of a Wargames Illustrated magazine, but no further progress was made with a fleet. Then (several years later) a wandering eye in the local model store, sees a bargain but - end of stock - USS Constitution, the rest is predictable history (see below, "a love story starts" with an American super frigate):  

Size can matter (see below, a case of we only budgeted for six but as the Carling beer advert says it all, probably the best in the world - normal frigate [RN/French/Spanish] in the background): 

The master plan being that with the Master and Commander starter set and WI giveaway I have six brigs and four frigates, plus the USS Constitution ("old ironsides" herself - good timbers apparently). That means a basic USN fleet of two brigs and USS Constitution, a RN fleet of two brigs and a normal frigate and two brigs and a frigate for the French! Leaving two frigates in excess, whether to reinforce the French or British fleets, or make a Spaniard is the question (perhaps a wandering Russian frigate?). The only "possibly needed" expansion would be to include the bizarre fleets of the Barbary Pirates of the Mediterranean (where the teething battles of the USN were fought on the shores of Tripoli, as per the US Marines song) or the addition of a lazy fat merchantman or two. A small self-contained project, what could go possibly wrong, provided it gets off the painting tray. 

This is where my "love" of Naval Started, blame it on Paul Hague

Take me back thirty eight years to the tender age of 13 or 14 and I read this book from my local library cover to cover several times over. It therefore seemed apt and fitting to buy a second hand ex-library book (see below, the hallowed tome of infamy):

In fact with the ticket sheet intact in the front of the book, the first date in it [9 May 1983] bears a striking similarity to when I first would have read (a different copy of) it. Spooky to think "another wargaming soul" (albeit a Londoner .. as opposed to his opposite in the North)  would have been going through similar deliberations (such as how do I get my hands on an average dice and a d10?). It seems to have been well read until June 1994, an eleven year tour of duty before "retirement" (see below, badges on honour and a passage through many wargamers hands - spooky if anybody who had took this book out was actually reading this post):

This was the reason why my parents "worried so much about what I was doing in my bedroom with balsa wood, a modelling knife, strong smelling balsa glue, Cornflakes cereal packets (used for bases), matchsticks and Tamiya paints [Grey, Blue and White]". Did they not realise I was creating the Grand Fleet and German High Seas Fleet in miniature? I also have Paul Hague's later book which I found "good" too but 'wanting' in childhood memory first love sense (see below, submarines, aircraft carriers and WW2 battleships):

2020 could see the recreation of the four classic "sea battles" contained in "Sea Battles in Miniature: A Guide to Naval Wargaming". A definitive counter-point to Fletcher Pratt which has to be done in 2020 (maybe at CoW 2020?).

Napoleonic Naval: 1/1200 Scale French v British (RN)

To me there is nothing quite as enchanting as 1/1200 scale Napoleonic warships in the thick of fight. Here a battle squadron of five British (three ships of the line and two frigates) coming to grips with two smaller Squadrons of French (two ships of the line and a frigate a piece). The game was in progress as I joined so some damage had already been accumulated two the leading French and British ships at the bottom of the picture (see below): 

The vans close to exchange deadly fire (see below):

The plan is for the British (who have the weather gauge) to finish off the bottom French squadron before dealing with the second French squadron. This means the rear of the British line is about to be exposed to some long range fire as their "T" is crossed (see below): 

The British Flagship locks horns with its French counterpart and a vicious boarding engagement follows. Not wanting to run foul of the British flagship the second in line abruptly turns to cut the French line (taking "hot" fire as she does so) while the lowly rear most British frigates escape serious damage from the French long range fire. The third British ship of the line decides to cross the French's rear "T" at a more deadly close range (see below): 

In the distance (see top of photograph below) the second French squadron slowly tacks, finding themselves out of position. There are two fierce close quarter actions afoot, with a dangerous looking "French-British-French" sandwich developing against the British flagship. Luckily for the British the opportunistic Frenchman intending to blast the rear of the British flagship sustained withering fire as it manoeuvred. The rearmost three British ships are tacking in an attempt to overwhelm the two stationary Frenchmen before teh second French squadron gets into the fight (see below):

The British flagship is suffering from a withering close range raking, which did not help the boarding action as the French are across her decks. All hangs in the balance. The fickle wind is not helping the six ships trying to manoeuvre into the battle (see below): 

There sadly I had to leave it as each round of the game was actually quite time consuming (old 1970 rules were being used). I later heard the British flagship had struck her colours but the two leading Frenchmen were in a very bad way so the game was called  a "Tactical" French win but "Strategic" Draw as the ships that had fought were no longer sea worthy and sank. 

Thoughts on Naval Map Moves

I am still reading Peter Perla's "Art of Wargaming" (slow but enjoyable progress as I generally get to read only five mins in the morning before I go to work) and I have got to the point in his book where he mentions a pivotal point in wargaming 'folklore' as in "the history of".

The advent of the true hobbyist use computers occurred as reported in Avalon Hill's The General magazine. This "shot that was (not) heard around the word (but set technology on a trajectory of what would surely follow)". The "What" in fact was  a modest garage 'crocodile-clip-battery-lamp' contraption "Heath-Robinson'ed" up to assist the 'Human Interactio'n of naval search grid for Avalon Hill's "Sink the Bismarck" board game.

This allowed a novel "gotcha" form in real-time playing double blind. Indeed the naval side of warfare and wargaming has lead innovation through "the mother of invention - necessity". This got me thinking of how I could network or link (in a manual sense) a collection of ships/task forces simply for a "Fog of War" naval chase (see below, the player's ship is in the central hex):

The threat detection should span outwards with a direction (aka the Compass Rose) and perhaps a distance, plus mode of detection (and time of spotting), Reinventing the wheel but interested to see if I come out with the same answers as I would have before I had read Perla's book! (If that logic makes sense). Watch this space,

I was thinking a "Sink the Bismarck" style of game in the near future although the Napoleonic or Ancient period might be a less challenging start.

Just Playing with my "Sea" (and some old Napoleonic Ships)

Just laid out this British squadron to see how they looked (see below):

I like it ;)

Note: I might have to point them down the hex spines instead of at the face of a hex. That may be a better way to "Box the Compass" ;)

Sea Project: Ideas Appreciated ...

I have a "new toy" of sorts (see below):

A naval game looms .. the only decision is whether is should be:

• Ancients (new kit required, but I have always wanted to play Salamis with David Manly's Greek Fire and Roman Fury rules)
• Napoleonic (time to bring out Avalon Hills "Wooden Ships and Iron Men" with a small squadron of British versus a mixed bag of French and Spanish)
• World War One (General Quarters II, Dogger Bank or Jutland Battle Cruiser Clash)
• World War Two (General Quarters II, Narvik [done once already] or Mediterranean, or even a "Convoy"?)
• Modern (although this means I would need some new kit, but I always wanted to play Larry Bond's Harpoon)

Logic dictates that in the 100th year of Jutland it should be WWI, quite fitting as the corners are held down by Jutland books (and research wise a god excuse to try and sneak some of the new '2016' Jutland books in), but somehow Napoleonic seems so very, very tempting (lovely models to make).

Thoughts and ideas appreciated

Battleship Row (Part Three) Second Mary Rose Sails Away

The second Mary Rose has now sailed away to a berth in a 'Tudor-themed' classroom. My eldest son's ship was constructed in much the same manner as my daughter's except it benefited from the additional use of Humbrol "Decalfix" in an attempt to keep the blessed things in place once they have dried out and avoid the dreaded 'flaking effect'. Interestingly the instructions imply you immerse the decal in the "Decalfix"liquid to, in order to help it release from the attached paper (rather than the traditional water) as well as coating the 'target' surface prior to decal application and then again in the 'smoothing down' post-application tidy up (see below):

Meanwhile the holding the detail of the stern of HMS Victory are fixed in place. Although I have heard people complain about this, I think it works well. Also note, for once I did follow the Airfix forum advice and gloss varnished the target area beforehand (something I didn't do for the Mary Rose which perhaps in hindsight I should have done to make a smoother surface) and again used my newly acquired "Decalfix". The stern went smoothly, perhaps too smoothly. I got myself in a bit of a fix when I tried to slide off the simple "HMS Victory" name plaque on to the stand and I got myself into a right old tangle. I was a second away from a perfect slip on but botched it and spent a good ten minutes in 'panic recovery' mode, but I think I saved it (see below):  

I carried on with Tudor Rose number three and applied a watered down Vellojo "Black Wash" over the hull planking joints and grills that adorn the ship (see below):

By no means finished, but it did have an immediate positive effect that I liked. Yes I will have to go back and highlight, perhaps re-wash with the Vallejo "Brown Wash" and stain the sails with wash and ink, but it's there simply to be experimented on (see below):

I must admit I had much more fun than I expected to with these old Airfix kits. I will have to wait around and hope Airfix releases the Santa Maria again and build up a Spanish Fleet!

Battleship Row (Part Two) One down, three to go

The first Tudor battleship has now sailed away in the basic starter set colour scheme, festooned with "ever so colourful but tricky decals" and has now taken its rightful place in my daughters classroom. She did a pretty competent paint job all things considered and I only had to step in towards the end with the decals (see below):

I was keeping pace with my daughters ship and intend to "keep working away" on mine to put in a little extra detail, including trying out some experimental (well for me) Vallejo "inks and washes" (see below):

My son's project has a later hand in date and his kit stands painted in the basic scheme but pre-decal stage, which again I will have to step-in and help (see below):

Meanwhile the main mast went up on HMS Victory and the 'basic' paint coverage was completed. Still have to apply the rear decal yet (see below):

Still unsure how much use HMS Victory would be as a wargame "element". I cannot envisage forming a fleet of "Victory" clones. The closest I can think to a use is a naval gunfire marker in the Siege of Toulon, any better ideas out there?

Battleship Row (Part One) School Project WIP

HMS Victory sporting some colour and sails bar the main mast (see below):

Mary Rose Number #1 for my daughter (see below):

Mary Rose Number #2 for me, primed grey, Airfix Acrylic 1, playing catch-up to the kids after getting distracted with HMS Victory (see below):

Mary Rose Number #3, for my eldest son (see below):

The deadline is approaching so I will have to put on a painting spurt ;)

Tudor Battleship Production Line

A "Spot the difference competition", or rather a challenge as there are no prizes to award. The topic is my overflowing Painting Table (see below, photograph I circa 1980):

And again. What's the difference? (see below, photograph II circa 2014):

The answer is .. none, other than the sepia setting (hit by accident by me on the camera). The Mary Rose and HMS Victory kits are selected from the maritime Airfix "Starter Kits" range and could have been made in either era.

The reason for this annexation of the dining table was a looming Tudor School Project deadline. If you look carefully there should be three Mary Roses WIP (well one is still technically in the box) as well confusingly a HMS Victory chucked in for good measure (that one was a project of mine that I had lingering around in a cupboard for a while).

Looking forward to Xmas already: "Dear Santa I am a big kid and want to pretend I am eleven again and play 'make a model' on Xmas day!"

The Next Napoleonic Ship: "A French 74"

Deep in the depths of a French port, shielded from prying British eyes, a sinister black shape is taking form. Nothing less than a deadly French 74. Intent on challenging the superiority of the Royal Navy, Napoleon himself has decreed a vast naval expansion programme (see below):

Well at least one more ship is under way, even though ever so slowly. Instead of "yellow and black" banding along her sides I am looking forward to painting her "red and black" in the 'French way'!

;)

"Form Line of Battle" : Napoleonic Naval Small Squadron Action

A small Royal Navy squadron of HMS Thunderer (74) and HMS Canopus (80) spots a suspicious pair of sails on the distant horizon (see below):

The sails turn out to be a small French squadron of two ships Le Franklin (74) and the Commerce de Marseilles (120) obviously intent on conducting a secret mission for the Emperor (see below):

Despite being out gunned the Royal Navy commander decides on a aggressive strategy of cutting the enemy (French) line, so the fittingly named HMS Thunderer leads the charge. HMS Canopus and the Commerce de Marseilles have exchanged fire resulting in "sail and mast" damage to both. As HMS Thunderer blocks HMS Canopus' line of sight to the French flagship Canopus turns her attention to the Le Franklin (see below, British squadron at top of photograph, French bottom):

The ambitious "breaking the line" manoeuvre goes somewhat awry as the captain of HMS Thunderer miscalculates the relative speeds of the two ships and impales herself on a ship twice her size (a crew of over a thousand Frenchmen compared to under five hundred British sailors). This meant interested reading and re-reading of the collision rules (see below):

As a wargame the battle had to be left unfinished, in rather a shambolic state, with the French flagship being entangled with the small British 74 (HMS Thundered). HMS Canopus and Le Franklin meanwhile continued their exchanges of broadside upon broadside, leaving both in a state of mutual "de-sailing and de-masting" (see below):

Chances are the Le Franklin will succumb to the continued attention of HMS Canopus as both ships become static floating fortresses, the rate of fire from the British being better. However if HMS Thunderer cannot untangle herself from the French flagship ultimately the battle will be lost to the French.

A 60:40 probability to the French methinks ;)

How to build the "Commerce de Marsailles" (Part 2 of2) 1/1200 Nap Naval

The last bit of painting before the rigging (gasp, intake of breath and sweaty forehead) saw white highlights on the gun ports (see below):

A final reddening of the interior bulwarks then push the paintbrush to the side and out with the black cotton thread. Starting at the front of the ship and the crazy polygon of the bow sprit, a ting knot at the front and a circuit of the sails, dabbing super glue as I go  (see below):

Then near vertical (well 60 degrees) thread lines are dropped from sails as I work towards the back of the ship adding the last two masts (see below):

"Secret Weapon 47" a cunning new Napoleonic shipbuilding resource. A ridiculously cheap, pink plastic brush than is "de-toothed" and its bristles used for rigging lines (see below):

These rigging lines are used for the previously impossible mast-to-mast diagonal rigging lines where "thread simply could not reach" (see below):

Sadly the brush I have is not long enough to replace ALL the cotton thread too, so I will have to keep my eye out for a longer haired (cheap) brush, but it seems to work (see below):

The final cut does not look too bad IMHO (see below):

This means I will have to revisit the Royal Navy squadron of 74's and do their "interior diagonals" too. Then sorts the "interior rigging" puzzle, still outstanding are the rat-lines I need to run up each mast (which perhaps the plastic brush may assist with) and the authentic sea basing which should cut down on "rough handling". I am keen to start experimenting with a strange jar of "Artist's medium" that apparently I have to mix into paint to make it a quick setting jelly, perfect for faking the 'sea effect'.  

How to build the "Commerce de Marsailles" (Part 1 of 2) 1/1200 Nap Naval

French Shipbuilding Program: 

As the French Navy are in dire need of reinforcements I decided to assemble the "Commerce de Marsailles" a huge 120 gunner (1st Rate of the Ocean class). Her sister was the Orient, the French flagship at The Battle of the Nile. The "Commerce de Marsailles" was yet another French Navy ship captured and used against her former owners, but after being damaged in a storm early in her RN career she became a long term "hulk" in Portsmouth.

From the black undercoat the sails and deck were painted (see below):

A quick dry run run through is always worth it (see below, note the dangerous RN squadron in the background):

After a 360 degree review (aided with a cup of tea to hand) and more than one look at the painting notes, I decided the deck was far too light for the French Navy "teak" so I repaint the the deck using Vallejo, Game Colour, Dark Flesh (see below):

Pressing on I browned up the hull and highlighted the ships boats (see below):

I gave the deck a weak black wash (using Tamiya XF1 Matte Black) to calm things down (see below):

Then I started the "yellow striping" process along the sides of the hull, with a dark yellow/brown (Vallejo, Came Colour, Plague Brown) shade colour (see below):

Then I started lightening up the yellow with a Golden Yellow (Vallejo, Game Colour again), adding a dash of white to lighten in further (see below):

The whole thing is a slow process which cannot be rushed. I have heard it described as 'Zen-like' but I am always on the fraught edge of thinking I am going to ruin it until the rigging is done and dusted (where deadly slips and fumbling falls cam occur in 'manual handling').

French Sea-Wolves (Part III of III)

Rigging, sails and masts torn away the British 100 gunner is hard to move, her only choice is really plough on or face a bow or stern rake (see below):

The lead French ship is at least suffering too (see below):

However she presses on impressively fire another telling broadside (see below):

Covering the second French "Sea-Wolf" to close to the vulnerable stern side of the British ship. Not quite there for a stern rake yet, but yet more rigging hits (see below):

There is still plenty of fight left in the British ship, but with her decreasing amount sail she is slowly becoming a fortified island rather than a ship of the line (see below):

Here we called a close to proceedings. The consensus being that unless British "help" turned up the 100 gunner was a lost cause. She may have taken a Frenchman with her but it seemed almost just a "matter of time".

Two French "ships of the line" versus one British "ship of the line" had swung the odds too much in favour of the French. What was also interesting is that the jump between "third rate" to "second or first rate" ships seems to be less of an increase in killing power than we expected. "Third rates" can stand in line of battle and trade it with their bigger cousins. Especially RN "third rates"!

Coming soon to the "wet wargaming table": Three French versus Two British!