War of the Pacific Base Bosh - Chileans

I finished repainting and relabelling the bases on my 1/2400th scale Chilean fleet for the War of the Pacific at the weekend, so that's another thing on the 'to do' list ticked off. I have a few slots left empty in the storage box which I'm planning to fill with transports and armed merchant ships but I'm having trouble locating suitable models, either to convert or to use as proxies. I can also add more torpedo boats for both sides and perhaps even a submarine, the Toro, but for the moment it's job done and dusted! 

War of the Pacific Base Bosh - Peru

I'm now focused on some old projects that either need finishing off or just tweaking a bit to give them a refresh. First up are my Chilean and Peruvian fleets for the War of the Pacific, which I've always wanted to bring into line with my other naval projects by repainting the bases. The Peruvian fleet has now been refurbished and the slightly larger Chilean fleet with follow tomorrow, given a bit of free time to sort them out. 

War of the Pacific Base Repainting

I've been meaning to repaint the bases of my 1/2400th scale War of the Pacific models for a while, as they don't match my other ironclad ships and are too dark compared to the blue sea terrain cloth that I use for games. This is a relatively simple task but does require some precision to avoid getting paint all over the models. The base labels will be replaced with new ones printed on more durable thin card, so I don't need to worry about splashing blue paint all over them. It'll be a good job once done as I'd like to run some more games with the Chilean and Peruvian fleets, having really enjoyed the scenarios I devised for Dahlgren and Columbiad a few years ago, although I might dust off Iron and Fire instead? 

Re-thinking Rugen

I've been re-thinking the 1/2400th scale Tumbling Dice models that I'm going to use for the Danish and Prussian ships at the Battle of Rügen. The gunboats will remain the same but the larger ships will use different models after a bit of research into relative dimensions and tonnage. I'll post a full breakdown later but I have decided to start from scratch with the models, as the ones I assembled previously are not very well constructed. I've got a lot more experience converting and detailing the TD models, so it will be worth the extra time and effort.

Return Ticket to Rügen

For my next 'tying up loose ends' project, I'm going back to a naval wargaming project of many years gestation, the Battle of Jasmund / Rugen in March 1864 during the Second Schleswig War. I've had the models for this, assembled, based and  ready to paint, for well over a decade, so it's about time I actually ticked it off the 'to do' list. After a review of the 1/2400th Tumbling Dice models I previously prepared for the Danish and Prussian flotillas, I'm making some significant changes to the line up, but the Prussians are good to go as soon as I finish the Argentinian pre-dreadnoughts currently on the workbench. It will be great to finally have the chance to re-enact this obscure but significant naval clash, then hopefully work toward the other actions fought during the war. 

Tying Up More Loose Ends

Too dark 

I'm getting there slowly but surely with my Chilean and Peruvian pre-dreadnoughts and have been thinking about the next one of loose ends to tidy up. I've been meaning to repaint the bases on my War of the Pacific ships for months, if not years, so that job is a strong contender for a weekend in the not too distant future. I've repainted bases before and it's a relatively simple, if slightly fiddly job, but it does make them match the sea cloth I use to a far better effect. I'll make a start as soon as the current Chilean pre-dreadnoughts are finished and while I paint up the Argentinian models.

Tying Up Some Nautical Loose Ends

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. 

Prussian Preussen Class Ironclad Conversion

Preussen Class 

Preussen Class Profile

I had an idea out of the blue today. I was thinking about playing some naval games with my 1/2400th scale ironclads but with some new models, when I remembered some ideas I had ages ago for a Prussian flotilla. I was stumped at the time for suitable models but have now come up with a cunning plan. This is to convert the Tumbling Dice models of HMS Monarch into the three Preussen class turret ironclads, simply by removing the forward and aft section of the superstructure, adding a new turret and an extended funnel. In many respects the ships were very similar in design and dimensions, so it should work out well. I don't currently have three spare models but will order some as soon as I have some spare pocket money!

Projects and Plans 2026

Up, Up and Away...or more likely Kaboom!

It's that time of year again where I set out my projects for the year ahead in the hope of actually achieving some of them. Last year I decided to focus on the First World War as my principal theme and, with a few minor and inconsequential diversions, I managed to stick with it, with a specific focus on Algernon Pulls It Off!. I have really enjoyed this and ideally would like to carry on, so...

...in order not to let this fizzle out, I will be continuing my Algy project into 2026, with a focus on the French Aviation Militaire, subject to Paul at Tumbling Dice putting the new models I requested into production (this is very likely but just a question of time...as always). I will be writing more scenarios, rules additions and possibly a follow on article for next year's Lard Mag, who knows?

In other air wargaming news, I am planning to re-visit a couple of Bag the Hun projects in the shape of Arctic Eagles and the mothballed Finest Hour campaign that I started organising a few years ago. I have done quite a lot of the spade work for both of these and it would be a shame not to get at least one of them ticked off in 2026.

As far as naval wargaming goes, the plan is to add the long overdue Spanish fleet to the 1/2400th scale Napoleonic naval project and, if I have time, the Americans or possibly some other minor power as well. After that I may well do something with 1/2400th ironclads again, quite possibly revisiting the Second Schleswig War and Battle of Jasmund, or perhaps finally get round to a new pre-dreadnought project, the Sino Japanese War being a hot contender using Broadside and Salvo. Who knows?

Finally, the ever neglected land wargaming aspect of the hobby will get some attention. This is always my Achilles heel, as I hate painting figures and have a particular aversion to 28mm. Not to be put off by this affliction, I have been encouraged by my eldest son, now back home from university for at least two years (!), to do some samurai skirmish games in 28mm. I am also planning to finally get round to some medieval semi-skirmish wargaming, with both Lion Rampant and 'another set of rules' as a focus. 

As a final footnote to all of this wishful thinking, I may even get a Through the Mud and Blood 15mm First World War project underway in 2026.....just don't hold your breath!

2025 Review - Painting Things

I painted quite a lot of very small things this year, most of which were 1/600th scale aircraft but there were some 1/2400th ships and 1/600th scale tanks as well. I've also refurbished the bases on two 1/3000th scale Cold War naval fleets for the Indonesian Confrontation, so have bundled them in as well. All in all, not a bad effort and quite a lot of the stuff has seen some table top action too, so a fairly productive year of painting things.

Battle of Pacocha Ships Finished

I'm calling these finished, give or take a flag or two, so will start working on a scenario draft for Dahlgren and Columbiad over the next few days. I also need to devise the ship record sheets for HMS Shah and HMS Amethyst, for which I've already done some preliminary scribbling. I'm looking forward to a game at some point fairly soon.