A Change of Game Plan

 

As you can see, my oppo Geoff has been busy painting some Tumbling Dice later ironclads, and very nice they are too. As a result, we've decided to run a play test game of Barbette and Battery instead of Broadside and Ram, which was the original plan anyway last time we discussed it. I'm looking forward to it, as it will be really interesting to see how the system works in comparison to Dahlgren and Columbiad, for example, and how it models the various, complex permutations of firing arc and armaments 

Broadside and Carronade?

I was sorting out the resources for the Broadside and Ram game at the club next week, when a cunning plan popped into my otherwise fairly vacant head. Would it be possible to write a back of a postcard / fag packet set of rules for Napoleonic naval wargaming based on the system in Broadside and Ram, with everything neatly fitting on two sides of A4 paper? This would obviously be a fairly basic system but it would work very well for large battles in 1/2400th or,even better, in 1/4800th scale, using the Tumbling Dice range of models. I even considered the multiple basing concept but, to keep things simple, I'm working on the premise of individually based ships. I'm now going to see if I can work something out but will bounce some ideas off other people first.

Rolling Thunder

 

'Recreate the grandest naval battles of the Age of Sail on the dining room table or your local club with Rolling Thunder! The rules draw on the core principles of Mad for War and allow players to recreate entire battles with up to 100 ships per side through innovative and easy to understand game design.'

....sounds good to me, using the Tumbling Dice 1/4800th scale models, especially as it would be quicker to get going compared to painting lots of 1/1200th or 1/2400th scale ships for Mad for War. I particularly like the idea of multiple basing in small scale, akin to Strength and Honour in some respects. Yet another naval project to add to the list of things that must be done!

Big Jim Prints

There's a new source of 3D resin printed models from David Manley, other than Syborg3D which has a pretty limited selection. This is Big Jim Prints and includes an expanding range of the David's 1/600th and 1/1200th scale ironclad models for the ACW and similar conflicts. I have sent off for some sample 1/600th scale models to test the waters including the Danish turret ironclad Rolf Krake, which was deployed in the 1864 Second Schleswig War. I have also asked David if he could add some of the gunboats and smaller warships for both the Danes and Prussians to his range, which is what he has been now agreed to do. I had a plan to wargame the naval side of this war in 1/2400th a few years ago and almost did so, before deciding that the scale was just too small for this sort of thing. Perhaps now I might be able go to the opposite end of the scale spectrum!

https://bigjimprints.com/collections/david-manley-designs-1-600?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3cdHBIWRsLnoW6zODkfBTCAi6VyV6QWXRlUoeefxwfGhf6NXnNzf3wxlw_aem_Ad-aMl5yaEjAd4xkkeAxB7oWefiFCUhtHSv867qjmV74YIzAvSEM6omq0bBuWhXZ1AId1LnOs6waxTORH_e7RXul

The Battle of Baie d'Audierne 1870

I have tweaked an old Broadside and Ram scenario for the game next week, which I've played several times before but which tends to end in a French defeat every time. To balance it out a bit, I've added a third French division consisting of weak ironclads and a paddler to up the numbers so that the French have a slightly better chance of achieving their objective. I've also downrated the DF of the Royal Navy ironclads from 6 to 5, in order to make them slightly less tough and give the French a better chance of inflicting some damage. Together with my amendments to the repair rules to make repairs from Crippled to Silenced one point more expensive in AP's, I think this will be a fairly evenly matched game.

Catching Up

I've been back at work this week, which has soaked up all of my time and effort, so nothing much has moved on the workbench. It's the weekend though, so time to do a bit of catching up. I'm in two minds whether to carry on blocking in the white basecoat on the 1/2400th scale ships, or to start the colour painting on the eight that are ready to be layered. I suspect that whatever happens, I'll be squeezed for hobby time, as the other half has been 'gardening' so there's going to be the dreaded list of things I'll have to do to dispose of the fallout.

Strike Wing

I bought this a while back and it arrived just before I left to go on holiday, so I've only just had time to give it a flick through. It's obviously destined for some Bag the Hun scenario ideas or perhaps a variation of the Whispering Death convoy attack rules that are designed for 1/600th scale models and participation style multi-player games, so perfect as a potential club project. I'll try to find time to go through the text and photos properly over the weekend. 

Broadside and Ram Club Game

I'm dusting off the mid-Victorian ironclads for a game of Broadside and Ram at the club next week. This will either be a simple fleet action or possibly a scenario from the archives, either the Battle of Audierne or the Battle of the Six Roads being likely options. Whatever it is, I haven't played in a while so will have to brush up on the rules over the weekend and tart up the modified quick reference sheet.

The Fighting Temeraire

I was on dad taxi duty tonight, so in and out of the house like a yo-yo, with some hanging about time in-between. To make the most of it I assembled another 98 gun second rate ship of the line for the Royal Navy, the celebrated HMS Temeraire. I have one more on the ASN3 100 gun models which I may build as either HMS Neptune or even HMS Victory. 

AK47 Competition

This month's competition over on the AK47 Facebook group is to scratch build a river crossing of some sort including at least one Peter Pig figure, vehicle or accessory. I may well have a go at this if I can find the time, with a watering hole, river ford, footbridge or something similar, as there's loads of potential for some unusual twists on the theme.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ezF8FnCrdvvdBous/