Saint Malo

 

What's next on the workbench?

I'm coming towards the end of the Knights of the Sky 1917 model building project, with the two Esci Nieuport 17s I was building now scrapped as surplus to requirements and the Airfix Roland CIIs just needing decals to be finished. I'll be glad to see the back of these, to be honest, as it was only supposed to be a January project and it's run over time.

I'm now a bit adrift, in terms of my next project and in danger of the dreaded doldrums if I'm not careful. The 15mm Picts rebasing and painting would pass the time but it's not inspiring me that much, while the Red Actions Freikorps would be quite a lot to bite off and chew in the time I've got up to Easter. 

One thing I could do is have a go at some 1/2400th Tumbling Dice ships for Mad for War, which I could nibble away at over the next four weeks or so. I've been reading the 'how to' on the League of Augsburg blog and quite fancy having a go at a French privateer squadron, as described in the Mad for War rule book.

http://leagueofaugsburg.blogspot.com/2020/02/painting-12400-scale-ship-model-for.html?m=1

This would also give me time to finish off some things that have been hanging about, including the 1/2400th Argentinian pre-dreadnoughts and the 1/600th Battle of Britain RAF and Luftwaffe fighter squadrons. I could even paint a couple of 28mm figures for A Fistful of Lead, who knows? 

I think a mix and match of things is the way to go to avoid getting bogged down in another big project, with the inevitable over runs and log jams. I've got the weekend to mull it over but I think I'll just pick up something to do that won't take too long to complete and will tick off some things on my 'to do' list at the same time.

Holiday Reading

 

I'm on holiday this week so brought along my hardback copy of Cromwell's Wars at Sea by John Barratt, with the Mad for War project firmly in mind. I've dipped into this book before but haven't read it properly, cover to cover, so I'm going to spend a few days reading it in depth. It's not it a subject I know that much about, so I'm looking forward to learning a lot more and hopefully picking up some inspiration and ideas for the forthcoming project.

Mad for War Is Here

 

My pre-order hardback copy of Mad for War has popped through the letter box and it is absolutely stunning! I haven't had time to sit down and read through it yet but, for the asking price, it's worth every penny if only for the production values, which are right up there will the big wargaming publishers. Added to that, you have a tried and tested set of rules with fantastic product support, not to mention a dedicated line of miniatures. Hats off the Barry Hilton for an superb effort!

Mad for War

I'm really looking forward to my pre-order copy of Mad for War, which I have placed today and is scheduled to turn up in January, possibly in time for my birthday. It's not cheap but, considering what you get and the quality of the product, it's definitely well worth the expense. It's actually really good value for a hard back set of rules and in line with similar products, so an absolute bargain. Needless to say, this will be one of my naval projects for 2023, in fact probably topping the 'to do' list, both in 1/2400th scale for starters but also in 1/1200th scale for ship to ship, duelling actions. Bravo Barry!

Barry's Battle of Southwold Bay

 

A massive 'Huzzah!' to Barry Hilton for making this available as a free document via the League of Augsburg and Mad for War FB groups, as it must have taken ages to put together and is, as always, a beautifully presented, thoroughly detailed and superbly conceived piece of work. The models are stunning, as you'd expect if you've seen Barry's painting and rigging before, while the narrative of the battle and the wargame is also excellent, particularly if you want to get a feel for the Mad for War rules and how they work, as I do. A very nice surprise for Easter! 

Half Term Holidays

I'm on holiday for a few days now, so have been planning some solo wargaming while the weather is still terrible, to squeeze in alongside the inevitable DIY. The focus will be on some more Wings at War, particularly MiG Alley as I've only just scratched the surface of the game and really want to try out some different mission set ups. I'm also going to be playing more naval games including at least a couple of War of the Pacific scenarios and possibly some more Anglo-British Victorian ironclad battles. I may even play a bit of Mad for War Essentials using the print and play counters that come with the rules, although it's all a bit sketchy at the moment, so who knows?

Scilly Season

I was really excited to read about this soon to be published set of scenarios from Barry Hilton for the Mad for War Naval rules, as it is exactly what I am planning to do as a new project in 2022. This set of scenarios focuses on the Royalist privateers of the late 1640's and early 1650's, with the Isles of Scilly as a setting for at least one of them. Apparently, Barry is making some bespoke terrain for this too, which I expect will be absolutely cracking!

1/1200th Ark Royal Miniatures Frigates

I doubt mine will looks as good as these!

I ordered a set of three generic frigates from Ark Royal Miniatures last week and they arrived in the post today. They are nicely detailed models yet solidly built to withstand handling, with the bowsprit and mizzen mast cast on to the hull but separate main and foremasts with cast on sails. They come with a set of ships boats and a small bowsprit sail to attach to the hull. I also ordered three sets of etched brass ratlines that are made to measure for these models. The casting quality is excellent and they are good value for money at about eight quid a pop including the etched brass extras. I am definitely going to order another pack of two from the range, probably some of the smaller ships to form a privateering flotilla for the late 1640's.

1/1200 scale wargaming ships | League of Augsburg

New Moves in 1/1200th

I don't have any naval stuff in 1/1200th, apart from some Langton Napoleonic ships that I haven't done anything with for years, so thought it was about time I explored this long established wargaming scale. I am a big fan of 1/2400th scale and 1/600th scale but, for various reasons have never splashed out on the scale in between, one of which being all the scary rigging and the other the cost factor.

However, the new range of 1/1200th scale Anglo Dutch warships from Ark Royal Miniatures caught my eye, as they are ideal for the small scale privateering games that I'm interested in, rather than the fleet actions that I'd use 1/2400th scale Tumbling Dice models for (I have some of these but the small ones are very, very small). 

I am back at work now and can afford to splash out a little bit, so have ordered a pack of three generic frigates plus etched ratlines to deck them out with, as this seemed the most obvious place to start. There are also packs of smaller ships and boats but I wanted to try out some rigging on larger vessels, as it might be a bit easier than on a tiddly brig or pinnace. 

The rules I have in mind for this are Mad for War Essentials, which look perfect for small ship to ship duels around the Isles of Scilly. Incidentally, the spur for moving up to 1/1200th scale is the latest release from Brigade Games in their Small Scale Scenery range of Star Castle, which sits above Hugh Town on St Marys, so I'm hoping they might make a model of Cromwell's Castle on St Martins too?

Summer Naval Project 2021

In normal times I take a wargaming project of some sort on my summer holidays, with the aim being to prepare a full set of models ready for painting in the second half of the year.

In the past, this has included an AK47 army, a tribal army for In the Heart of Africa, a Napoleonic French fleet, a fleet of Peter Pig pirate ships, some late Victorian ironclads and various other things, most of which are now gathering dust in storage boxes. It's still a good way to get some lead shifted down the production line and is actually quite an enjoyable thing to do on a quiet evening.

This year it looks like we won't be able to get away, at least not to Brittany, due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions. As a result, I have been debating whether or not to do a project this summer, which would be another naval themed project if it happened. If I do, I'm going to pick from a shortlist of three or four projects, most of which are on my 'to do' list for 2021. 

The front runner is an Italian Regia Marina or IJN fleet in 1/3000th scale, to use against my existing French fleet with the Find, Fix and Strike rules. In second place, is a 1/2400th scale Age of Sail project based on the Isles of Scilly c1650, using the Mad for War rules. In the last place, there's the Steamer Wars WW1 project in 1/600th scale based on Lake Tanganyika. If those don't float my boat, there's always some more 1/2400th scale Victorian ironclads or pre-dreadnoughts to be added to the painting pile.

I'll have to make up my mind soon....!

Modern Chilean Naval Taskforce

I've just finished the civilian C47's and Cessnas for the Football War project and fancy a change from painting 1/600th scale aircraft, now that the Corsairs and Cavaliers project is finally done and dusted. I'm supposed to be focussing on naval projects this year, so my next job will be the 1/3000th scale modern Chilean warships that I prepared for painting a few weeks ago. 

There are about twenty or so of these to do, along with some helicopters and aircraft, so I'm hoping they won't take too long. After that, I'll be painting an opposing naval force which will either be Peruvian or Argentinian, which would make for some good Naval Command games set in the early 2000's. I've also begun to explore the options for an Anglo Dutch War naval project, using the Mad for War rules, based on the Royalist privateers in the Isles of Scilly in 1648-51, but that's in a very early stage of development indeed. I haven't even decided on the scale yet!

Mad for War Essentials

I think I may just have found the focus for my INWarD 2021 games, with a copy of Barry Hilton's Mad for War Essentials late seventeenth century Age of Sail rules. 

I have enjoyed immensely Barry's ship painting, terrain making and naval wargaming on the League of Augsburg blog, which have featured the lovely Tumbling Dice 1/2400th scale range of ships. In fact, I have already had some ideas for my own Anglo-Dutch solo naval wargaming, based on the Isles of Scilly in 1650-1651, so it made a lot of sense to get hold of a copy of the rules, rather than just go with Galleys and Galleons, which was my initial choice. 

I have to say I am gobsmacked by the quality of this rulebook, which even in its nuts and bolts .pdf edition is beautifully designed and presented in full colour. Not only that, its all for only a fiver! There's a set of starter scenarios as well as some cut out and play ship counters, not to mention a free set of additional scenarios bundled with the download. It's a very slick and most enticing product, with a solid set of rules and loads of support including videos of games to watch as a learning tool. I can't wait to have a go, once I've cleared the decks of other things!