Happy Trafalgar Day

... unfortunately not for me, as I've got a stomach bug that means I'm not going to be able to join in the Trafalgar club game tonight. I had hoped I would feel better by now but I can't seem to shift it, so will have an early night instead. 

USS President / USS Adams

That's tha last of the American frigates that I brought with me on holiday assembled and based, ready for painting. The 44 gun heavy frigate USS President was originally going to be the USS Chesapeake but was flipped so that I can use her for both the Quasi War and Barbary Wars. The much less powerful 28 gun frigate USS Adams saw extensive service and will be a very useful addition to the fleet. I have ordered some more models from Tumbling Dice to add to the project, with quite a few frigates, sloops and brigs as potential additions. This will obviously be a small action focussed project rather than a fleet level one, so some simple but fast playing rules are in order.

USS Essex / USS Philadelphia

I've not had time to get on with the Quasi War project over the last week but have made up the time by assembling two more frigates. These are the USS Essex and USS Philadelphia, both built from the same Tumbling Dice ASN10 5th Rate Frigate 38/40 Guns pack. I only have a couple more of the USN ships to glue together but may well add a few more from the lead pile when I get back from my holidays including the 24 gun sloop USS George Washington, the 14 gun schooner USS Enterprise, the 18 gun brig USS Argus and the 44 gun frigate USS President.

Holiday Reading

I thought I'd give this a read through to tie in with my ongoing early United States Navy project, which is focussed on the Quasi War of 1799-1800, but could easily be stretched to cover the Barbary Wars too. It's a subject I'm a bit sketchy about, to say the least, but has potential for a range of historical scenarios and even some counterfactual 'what-iffery'?

USS Boston 1799

We have a guest staying at the moment so I haven't had time to get any Algy games played or make much progress with the 1/2400th scale United States Navy models. I have assembled one frigate, the 32 gun HMS Boston, which was launched in 1799 and saw action in the Quasi War and against the Barbary pirates. Hopefully, I'll get a few more of these ships built and based in the next couple of days?

United States Navy Underway

A few summer showers today so time to get started on the 1/2400th United States Navy ships. Here we have USS Enterprise, USS Delaware, USS Constitution and the previously assembled USS Constellation, using the Tumbling Dice codes most appropriate for each ship. I have plenty more to glue together but the weather's looking up this afternoon, so they'll have to wait!

United States Navy Summer Project

The weather has socked in for the next few days but I have brought a selection of Tumbling Dice Napoleonic naval models to glue together for the United States fleet of the Quasi War 1798-1800 and the War of 1812. I've had these set aside for a while, having wandered off to do WW1 air wargaming of late, so it will be good to get back to a naval project again, even if it's just to prepare the ships for painting. It's also a great way to spend the time when it's raining buckets and blowing a gale outside, especially as I can look out on the sea doing it's thing while I work. 

INWarD 2025

I'm planning ahead for this year's International Naval Wargaming Day on the 6th August, when I'll be on holiday in Brittany. Last year I prepared a Napoleonic naval scenario for Far Distant Ships but wasn't able to actually play it due to a clash with guests staying with us. I'm probably going to reboot this one but may do something different depending on what I can get organised over the next couple of weeks and then take with me on holiday. 

The 50 gun ship

This pristine hardback was only six quid in a National Trust second hand bookshop yesterday, which made up for the place being absolutely heaving and not very enjoyable. I don't have any 50 gun ships in my Napoleonic fleets, for fairly obvious reasons, but I quite like the idea of an earlier project, perhaps the War of American Independence or Anglo Dutch Wars, so there's a good excuse for adding it to my reference collection.

Holiday Half Term Project

I was looking for a little 'side project' for the half term holiday when I remembered that this time last year, I'd organised a flotilla of American ships for the Quasi War and War of 1812. I had a rummage and have dug them out of the lead pile, ready to be assembled over the week, although not painted as I have the Jasta 11 triplanes on the go too. I enjoy gluing these Tumbling Dice ships together and I'll be able to paint them in time for INWarD 2025 in a couple of months, when I'll be in Brittany and will have plenty of time for some solo Napoleonic naval wargaming.

Summer Naval Project Options

I've now wrapped up the Jasta 18 Algernon Pulls It Off! project, apart from play testing and some background blurb, so will be moving on to something new when I get back home at the weekend. I haven't decided what this will be but it will either be naval or land based as a change from aerial wargaming. At the moment, it's possibly going to be my Napoleonic Spanish fleet in 1/2400th scale, which I have wanted to assemble and paint this year, or possibly something naval for the First World War, for which I have several options.

2024 Review - Painting Things

This year has been even more of a washout when it comes to painting stuff, once again due to work and illness sapping my time and energy. I did complete the 1/3000th scale heavy units for the Kriegsmarine and Royal Navy early war fleets but not the rest of the British forces which are still waiting to be tackled. I also completed the 1/2400th scale Royal Navy Napoleonic fleet, which I really enjoyed painting albeit stretched out over several months, although I still haven't played any games with them yet.

The Soviet half of the 1/600th scale aircraft for the Continuation War project were finished but not the Finnish contingent, or the 1/300th scale Soviet aircraft either, despite making a good start on the latter. I also built a 1/72nd scale Bristol Scout for Knights of the Sky but had to drop out of the actual game due to illness. A handful of 1/600th USAF aircraft were also finished for MiG Alley. To wrap up an unspectacular year, I painted three test bases of 2mm English Civil War infantry, cavalry and artillery, then ran out of time to do any more before the holidays. I think my report card for 2024 will read 'must do better!' 

Precursors of Nelson

A rare trip into town today and the Oxfam bookshop. The result is a pristine hardback copy of this book, which looks excellent as reading material for the upcoming holidays. At least one of the projects for next year is to complete my 1/2400th Age of Sail Napoleonic fleets, but in the longer term I could definitely extend my focus back to the American War of Independence. 

Happy Trafalgar Day

I'll just pop this here to wind up the in-laws.....😁

Long Face Games Facebook Group

It's slightly over a year since I set up the Long Face Games FB group and, as you can see for yourself, it's now doing pretty well and ticking along nicely, thanks to some active participants and a fairly regular rate of new people joining. It's not always easy to contribute as my wargaming has dropped off a metaphorical cliff this year due to full time work, but I'm hoping to do more in what's left of 2024, particularly with Far Distant Ships and Broadside and Salvo.

Clear the Decks!

After a frustrating few months of minimal progress with any of my projects for the year, apart from the Napoleonic Royal Navy fleet, I've decided to cut my losses and give up any attempts to start on other things. The plan for the next two or three months, depending on how I go, is to complete the Napoleonic naval project properly by painting the Spanish fleet of around eighteen 1/2400th scale ships, neatly filling up my storage box. This means that I will have smashed at least one big project completely, rather than stop starting two or three and getting sidetracked. When I've finished, I should still have time for the Bag the Hun scenario project and perhaps one other small thing to wrap up the year.

Napoleonic Naval Project Box Fillers

I have a few storage slots left to fill in the Napoleonic naval box, so will spend some time over the next fortnight filling them up. This will include three French 74 gun third rates and a 38 gun frigate, together with a 100 gun second rate, a third rate 74 and a 64 gun fourth rate for the Royal Navy. Not too much to do but a great way to wrap up the holidays, in-between all the DIY and decorating!

INWarD Interupted

Better late than never!

It looks like my best laid plans to run an INWarD game by the end of the week have fallen flat, due in the main to having other family related things to do over the last week or so. Reluctantly, I've decided to pack up my models and will be have to play my Napoleonic naval game when I get back home next week. It's a bit of a let down but very much in tune with the rest of the year thus far, which has proved to be one frustration after another when it comes to my wargaming activities. 

The Action of Ile de Glenan, 6th August 1804 - A Scenario for INWarD 2024

August 1804.

A powerful French squadron of seven third rate ships of the line has slipped through the inshore naval blockade of Brest, using a thunder storm and squall as cover, in a sortie designed to challenge the Royal Navy stranglehold on the French fleet. The plan is to break out into the Atlantic then rendezvous with the Spanish, as a precursor to a full scale break out by the entire French fleet.

An unexpected change of weather and the evident strength of the offshore blockading force, has led to a change of course by the French squadron commander, Admiral Josselin, who has decided not to sail out into the Atlantic but to head for Lorient or La Rochelle, before the Royal Navy is able to stop him. Unfortunately, the squadron has been shadowed at a discrete distance by Royal Navy frigates and dispatches indicating the likely course of the French have been received.

Anticipating  just such a move, a squadron of six third rate 74"s under the command of Admiral Shepton Mallet has been detached from blockade duties off Lorient and has been ordered to intercept the French squadron before it can reach a refuge in either naval port. The Royal Navy force has set a Westerly course and is patrolling off the Ile de Glenan, in the hope that the French will be spotted as it rounds the Breton peninsula.

The French Squadron deploys in the North West corner of the table heading on a South Westerly course in line astern, with the last ship touching the table edge. It must exit at least half it's ships (rounded down) via the Eastern table edge. The Royal Navy squadron deploys in line astern at any point along the Eastern table edge, with the last ship touching the table edge. It must prevent at least half of the French ships from escaping via the Eastern table edge by disabling, capturing or sinking them. Any other result is a draw.

Both commanders are Average.

The French squadron consists of Aigle, Scipion, Desaix, Patriote, Neptune (Flag), Pluton and Achille.

The RN squadron consists of Goliath, Minotaur, Ramillies, Mars, Leviathan (Flag) and Ajax. 

All RN crews are Veteran and all French crews are Average. 

The wind is from the North. The French have the weather gauge. The sea state is calm with a moderate breeze and visibility is excellent.

(unfortunately, due to unavoidable family commitments, it looks like I will have to postpone this game until the end of the week...but it will go ahead!)

INWarD Scenario

The scenario for my INWarD 2024 game has now been drafted out with two squadrons of third rates, one French and one British, going into action on the open seas. I've given the Royal Navy six 74's with three Average and three Veteran crew and an Average Command. The French are all Average crews but have one Superior 80 and seven 74"s to even things up, as well as an Average command. I haven't worked out the exact points but I think this should balance quite well, with no overall  advantage to either side, apart from the weather gauge, which the French won in the pre-game dice off. I'll set out the background, layout and objectives in another post, when I've thought up a sensible historical explanation for the game.