Another long neglected project getting its due attention.
Another hold over from the 90's is my interest in WWII naval actions. I was quite taken with the DOS-based Shipbase III computer moderated game system, and collected several GHQ 1/2400 Ships for all the Axis and Allied powers. While that scale worked wonderfully for small engagements like the Bismark or Savo Island, it really doesn't work on a 4'x6' table for large fleet actions. Thus my interest in Figurehead's 1/6000 scale ships. I finally broke down and bought a couple fleet boxes back in 2003. My first deployment to Iraq proved to be a distraction I did not overcome and I promptly forgot about them for a few years.
Obviously, I am giving them some more attention. I purchased the Japanese Coral Sea/Midway set and the American Midway set plus a couple of extra packs of Merchants, Iowa class Battleships and Essex carriers.
The minis are note exceptionally detailed, and yet still seem comparable to the old Panzershiffe 1/2400 resin ships. The cruisers are separate from their stands, and I have not glued them down yet. I am still considering switching to larger bases where I can at lease indicate ship names.
I have most of my Japanese cruisers done now as well as a big dent in the destroyers. The Battleships should paint up quickly as well as there is really very little variation in paint schemes in this scale. (I am doing all of the hulls in light gray with the brown/tan deck to make the Japanese ships readily identifiable on the table.) The aircraft carriers may take a little longer as they are the "character" figures for each fleet and the large decks are one of the few open spaces available for adding details. I have seen some companies offering carrier decals for the deck, but $5 for two 2" decals is more than I am interested in spending.
Another hold over from the 90's is my interest in WWII naval actions. I was quite taken with the DOS-based Shipbase III computer moderated game system, and collected several GHQ 1/2400 Ships for all the Axis and Allied powers. While that scale worked wonderfully for small engagements like the Bismark or Savo Island, it really doesn't work on a 4'x6' table for large fleet actions. Thus my interest in Figurehead's 1/6000 scale ships. I finally broke down and bought a couple fleet boxes back in 2003. My first deployment to Iraq proved to be a distraction I did not overcome and I promptly forgot about them for a few years.
Obviously, I am giving them some more attention. I purchased the Japanese Coral Sea/Midway set and the American Midway set plus a couple of extra packs of Merchants, Iowa class Battleships and Essex carriers.
The minis are note exceptionally detailed, and yet still seem comparable to the old Panzershiffe 1/2400 resin ships. The cruisers are separate from their stands, and I have not glued them down yet. I am still considering switching to larger bases where I can at lease indicate ship names.
I have most of my Japanese cruisers done now as well as a big dent in the destroyers. The Battleships should paint up quickly as well as there is really very little variation in paint schemes in this scale. (I am doing all of the hulls in light gray with the brown/tan deck to make the Japanese ships readily identifiable on the table.) The aircraft carriers may take a little longer as they are the "character" figures for each fleet and the large decks are one of the few open spaces available for adding details. I have seen some companies offering carrier decals for the deck, but $5 for two 2" decals is more than I am interested in spending.
It is somewhat entertaining to come back to old interests/collections like this, and it does have me eyeing my box of GHQ ships. Next up, the IJN Destroyers.
Very nice ships! My only naval minis are 1/1200th Ancients, but these look great. I can understand the scaling down for table top area too.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, the ships look great. I always liked the look of a mass of ships on the table.
ReplyDeleteLooking good and it's great to go back to a long forgotten project
ReplyDeleteIan
It is fun to revisit these old projects. Luckily for us, we have a bunch of them!
ReplyDeleteThey look good! I'd love to get into WW2 naval stuff but that's a real Pandora's Box to get started on. I'll stick with my very occasional WW1 dreadnoughts.
ReplyDeleteThey look very good indeed. Like just about everything post 1900, not an interest of mine, but it reminds me that my 1:1200 Napoleonic ships and my 15mm Renaissance galleys need some table time again before too long!
ReplyDelete