In a (possibly vain) attempt to keep my painting on track at least long enough to do the basics I thought I'd start a thread to show off my 1/600 scale WW2 coastal forces stuff.
Who knows, I might even manage some pictures of games in progress that don't entirely feature unpainted lead and resin! :)
First up the Tumbling Dice range British.
The Admiralty Drifter "Arcady," two Harbour Defence Motor Launches, an RAF BPB rescue pinnace and two RAF seaplane tenders plus a downed aircrew in a couple of lifeboats.
Still to come are the Heroics & Ros models of the Steam Gunboat "Grey Wolf," two Fairmile "dog boats" and three Vosper MTBs.
So far the opposition consists of two S26 type and two S28 type S-Boats (aka E-Boats).
Still to come for them is an F-Lighter (with a pair of 88mm guns) and a Verpostenboot very similar to the British "Arcady"
:-bd =D> :-bd
Quote from: Ithoriel on 27 January 2019, 10:54:49 PM
So far the opposition consists of two S26 type and two S28 type S-Boats (aka E-Boats).
Still to come for them is an F-Lighter (with a pair of 88mm guns) and a Verpostenboot very similar to the British "Arcady"
I have a few of these stashed away somewhere.
Very nice sir. 8)
Nice little boats!
Nice work, Mike ! :-bd
Cheers - Phil
Very nice indeed
Take care
Andy
Nice
Agreed, very nice. It's very tempting, but so far I've resisted (although I have been looking at the Coastal Forces rules for Victory at Sea . . .).
I used to do small boats last century, possibly the Skytrex set of rules and boats if I remember correctly.
I think the H&R ships are what was the Skytrex range ... might be wrong though.
Now, this is how it happens to poor Nobby.
You said
Quote from: Ithoriel on 28 January 2019, 07:41:59 PM
I think the H&R ships are what was the Skytrex range ... might be wrong though.
So naturally, since I have a few of the H&R Coastal range I thought I'd look into that - but the H&R catalogue is down, so I Googles "Skytex" ... and there's a website fro Skytrex which has Skytrex (Skytrex.com) and they have the Skytrex 1:600 Ancients range and I remembered how I loved playing Trireme, and I barely escaped without ordering something.
However, I have bookmarked the page and have started researching Salamis :(
H&R site is down while they relocate to new premises. Last I saw on Facebook they hoped to be open for business on 22nd February.
Spreadsheet of things to buy ready and waiting :)
I recommend Navwar's ancient galleys. Smaller, so cheaper and requiring less space (or allowing bigger fleets!).
Get thee behind me Stan!
Tumbling Dice do some too - even smaller.
and so it goes....
Thought process continues:
I've gone about as far as I want to go with Tumbling Dice tiny aeroplanes: 1917, Battle of Britain, Mediterranean 1943, Battle of Germany, Pacific 1942, Pacific 1944, Korea, Cold War 1960's, Arab-Israeli 1973, Viet Nam.
Really good service. Turn around in a couple of days.
And I really did enjoy Trireme.
Would get me set up for the new Greeks from Pendraken.
In other words, Gentlemen ... I am doomed to another project.
Erm ... I seem to have ... somehow ... ordered some aircraft to go with the ships.
Beaufighters, Sunderland (flying and landed), JU87s, Arado floatplanes and some bits and bobs.
How DID that happen? :)
;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Ithoriel on 28 January 2019, 10:45:25 PM
Erm ... I seem to have ... somehow ... ordered some aircraft to go with the ships.
Beaufighters, Sunderland (flying and landed), JU87s, Arado floatplanes and some bits and bobs.
How DID that happen? :)
Its the computer Imps. They live in your computer and look at your browser history and order random things. They seem to live in mine as well :)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 28 January 2019, 10:45:25 PM
Erm ... I seem to have ... somehow ... ordered some aircraft to go with the ships.
Beaufighters, Sunderland (flying and landed), JU87s, Arado floatplanes and some bits and bobs.
How DID that happen? :)
Be careful! They are addictive.
I think you definitely need some Wellingtons to add to that mix, possibly some Hudsons and even a Bf110 or two?
If you have the Arado, you've got to have the Walrus ... and possibly the cruiser it came from.
Then, of course, if you have downed pilots they could be from say Spitfires, Hurricanes, Bf109s ... or any of those beautiful German bombers - He111, Ju88 or Do17/217.
Then there's all those rescues under gunfire from shore batteries ... which would have AA cover which would bring down the planes ....
Or getting an MTB to torpedo a train.
Or a commando raid, Dieppe, Slapton Sands or even, dammit., let's just re-fight D-Day.
Face it, there are just so many possibilities.
Shell splashes - no expense spared .... sorry ... no extra expense involved :)
:-bd =D> :-bd
Like those Mike
Your target for tonight :)
The Steam Ship Maria, a small tramp steamer.
From Heroics & Ros, a resin hull with metal masts, cranes, funnel and bridge.
I reckoned that "Maria" was sufficiently neutral that she could serve as either Allied or Axis shipping.
Ave Maria!
:-bd =D> :-bd
Quote from: Ithoriel on 29 January 2019, 06:37:11 PM
Shell splashes - no expense spared .... sorry ... no extra expense involved :)
They look really good
Take care
Andy
Two Fairmile D "Dog Boats" to beef up the rather motley collection of British ships painted to date.
Something to give the S-100 E-Boats a run for their money!
Beaufighter being painted, as a change from grey things.
Then on to an F-lighter and a small trawler for the Germans, which leaves three Vospers and the Steam Gunboat "Grey Wolf" as the final boats ... of the current batch.
Arado floatplanes, Stukas, more Beaufighters and a Sunderland will keep me busy for a while yet.
:-bd =D> :-bd
Excellent.
Your contribution to the 1:300 scale version get undecoated and base painted today.
Will be trying the rules tomorrow (the amazing Mrs D gave me a pass for Valentines)!
Nice!
First of four Beaufighters.
German trawler, F-Lighter and 3 Vospers undercoated.
Very nice chap
Very nice, indeed, Mike. 8)
Cheers - Phil
Looking good. :-bd
Very nice indeed
Take care
Andy
SET UP AND TURN 0
Played a five player game of Cruel Seas, one boat each, as an introduction for four guys who hadn't played it before. One of them admitted to never having played a game more complicated than Snakes & Ladders!
Everyone seemed to pick up the rules very quickly so we launched into things.
To track damage I was using a home made tracker with coloured cubes. We picked a cube of each colour and chose one at random from the bag. I found myself commanding one of the two Fairmile "D" MTBs and facing off against two S100 class E-Boats and one S38 class (actually one S26 model and two S38s with the armoured bridge upgrade).
So one moonlit night, somewhere out on the North Sea two patrols sighted each other.
Turn 0 - we realised we were starting too far apart so zoomed everyone 40cm straight forward!
TURN 1
Ships move sequence is determined by drawing coloured dice out of a bag. First dice was British and I let my fellow captain take the first action. Instantly regretting it!
He raced his MTB straight forward at full speed and opened fire with the Dog Boat's not inconsiderable firepower (needing 1s to hit on a D10 - eek!).
He promptly rolled two 1s with his 5 dice and chewed lumps out of the leading S100 E-Boat. Two 6s among the D6s rolled for damage knocked out the E-boat's forward gun and rudder.
Second dice out of the bag was also British so I raced after my companion and opened fire on the other S100. Scoring a single hit with my twin 20mm cannon a further 6 among the damage dice perforated the engine, meaning it would be unable to reach full speed for the rest of the game (slowing it to two-thirds of maximum speed.)
The remaining dice all bing German we didn't bother drawing them out of the bag but let the Germans take their turns as they wanted.
The S100 with the damaged rudder wound up making a involuntary hard left turn. The others sped straight on.
All three E-Boats dropped to Combat Speed during the turn, making it easier to hit with their return fire.
Despite which they managed not a single hit.
TURN 1 - The End Of The Beginning? or The Beginning Of The End?
In Cruel Seas rolling "to hit" uses D10s and the lower you roll the better.
Whereas rolling damage uses D6s and high rolls are better, with a 6 causing critical damage.
The British D10s seemed to have nothing higher than a 5 and the D6s nothing lower than a 4, for the Germans it was somewhat vice versa.
TURN 2
The turn sequence for Turn 2 was Brit (me), German S38, German S100, other Brit, chewed up S100
I opened fire on the S100 with the damaged rudder and did considerable damage with my 6pdrs but no further crits.
The S100 with the damaged engine and the S38 fired on the other Fairmile and inflicted a few points of damage.
Return fire from the Fairmile chopped chunks out of the S100 that fired on it, damaging it's rudder.
The S100 with the damaged rudder slowed to Slow speed and attempted a repair - clearly someone on board knew where to "'it it wiv' an 'ammer!" and the rudder was fixed and a few holes patched too. The crew are considered to busy with this to fire weapons.
My ad hoc damage chart seemed to work OK and may become a permanent feature (with some tweaks). What is difficult to see in the pictures is that there are black and dark brown blocks for the two S100s
TURN 3
Turn sequence was S38, S100 with engine and rudder damage, Brit (me), Brit ....
The S38, aware of being the weakest boat in the fight kept it's distance, peppering the sea around my companion Fairmile but failing to hit (three 10s).
The S100 was force to carry straight on by the jammed rudder and scored a single hit with one of it's LMGs - 2pts of damage scored.
The Dog Boats then closed with the other S100 to a point where they were so close they were unable to use their 6pdrs but, struck by two twin 20mm, two twin HMGs and two twin LMGs and suffering multiple criticals, including two fires, the bullet riddled hull of the S100 slid beneath the waves.
Causing a fire on a diesel boat requires a roll of a 6 rather than the 4+ for the British so suffering two fires in a single turn was just the icing on the cake of German misfortune.
With one boat sunk, one damaged and only their weakest boat still intact the Germans decided discretion was the better part of valour.
As one of the German players commented during the game, "There's something wrong with our bloody ships to-day." :)
Despite that, everyone seemed to enjoy the experience and were keen to play again, even Mr Snakes and Ladders :)
Sounds like jolly good fun, looks good as well :-bd =D> :-bd
Nice one Ithorial,
For thevrematch, try Vospers, a lot harder game! ;)
Heh! For the rematch the guy who ran the S38 wants to try out the F-Lighter. 20mm steel armour, 100mm concrete armour, two turrets with either an 88mm AT gun or a 105mm artillery piece in each, two twin 20mm cannon and a 20mm flakvierling. A step up for sure. Hard as nails but slow as a very slow thing when it's slow :)
Are they the ones you have to depth charge?
Before I get "funny" remarks.
Wasn't it a tactic with them to scoot by and drop depth charges at minimal depth setting? The resulting explosion attacks the (b)lighters from beneath.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 18 February 2019, 12:18:29 AM
In Cruel Seas rolling "to hit" uses D10s and the lower you roll the better.
Whereas rolling damage uses D6s and high rolls are better . . .
Urghh. I can't tell you how much I hate this!
Consistency, people. Consistency!
Quote from: fsn on 18 February 2019, 02:12:44 PM
Are they the ones you have to depth charge?
Before I get "funny" remarks.
Wasn't it a tactic with them to scoot by and drop depth charges at minimal depth setting? The resulting explosion attacks the (b)lighters from beneath.
Yes, those and Siebel Ferries.
Indeed, dropping a well-timed depth charge when closely pursued was a well known, if not frequently used, tactic when dealing with E-boats too.
Quote from: Raider4 on 18 February 2019, 02:34:27 PM
Urghh. I can't tell you how much I hate this!
Consistency, people. Consistency!
Normally I'd be right there with you but for some reason the fact that it's different types of dice means it doesn't grind my gears nearly as much as usual. Odd, I know.
Latest painted items - still to be varnished.
Final two additions to the German ship roster, a trawler and the F-Lighter already mentioned.
Well, final two until Heroics & Ros are open again, then ... who knows? :D
British stuff plus Stukas and Arados to do in the meantime.
Nice Mike
Very nice 8).
:-bd =D> :-bd
Looking good
Take care
Andy
Still to be varnished but otherwise done.
Three Vosper II (Late) MTBs
Fast and fragile, but I expect to see them on the table regularly.
Just the British Steam Gunboat "Grey Wolf" to go. It's sold as "Grey Goose" (shown below) but everyone does "Grey Goose" due to it's connection to Peter Scott.
Armed with a single 3", two 6pdrs, two twin 20mms , two twin HMGs and a couple of LMGs and with a top speed of around 36 knots she will be a formidable opponent.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Motor_Gun_Boats_during_the_Second_World_War%2C_1939-1945_HU105409.jpg)
Very nice
:-bd =D> :-bd
Steam Gun Boat itself painted but base still to be finished off, label applied and varnishing done.
First of the Arado 196 floatplanes assembled, based and undercoated.
Eleven torpedo markers created using a Pendraken MDF base chopped into 20mm x 5mm bases with a Tumbling Dice torpedo mounted on it. May prove a little small for our fat fingers. We'll see!
Discovered a pack of H&S LCMs and one of LCAs while looking for something else in the lead pile! A scenario based on Operation Tiger could be in the offing.
Good progress old fiend.
Interesting how these rules and their figures have caught peoples attention, whereas so many other small ship rules have not.
Good marketing or right place and time? Discuss.
Blood Red Skies hasn't done as well to be sure.
Old 'fiend' ?...Quick Will, you might still be able to modify that. ;)
Good stuff, Mike..Or shall we refer to you as 'The old fiend' from now on. :)
Cheers - Phil
It was deliberate
Oi! How dare you sir! Less of the "old" you young whippersnapper! :d :d :d
;D ;D ;D
"Grey Wolf" and some torpedo markers complete.
I need H&R to reopen so I can get the next selection of ships and terrain I want!
Nice job.
:-bd =D> :-bd
That F lighter is about to have a very bad day ;D
Very cool work Mike
Good stuff, Mike. :)
Cheers - Phil
Very nice indeed
Take care
Andy
An Arado floatplane to give the Beaufighter a bit of opposition.
Two LSMs and Four LCAs undercoated.
Sunjester has found some very nice cargo ships and trawlers on E-bay made in MDF for a few quid each
Just search under Cruel seas
The ones I'm aware of are 1:300 scale Orcs. All my stuff is 1:600.
The H&R stuff (mix of resin and metal) is about the same price as the MDF items.
Landing craft, 3 Beaufighters, 2 Arados and flying and landed versions of the Sunderland still to go of the current batch.
I'm waiting for H&R to reopen their website for sales and I'll be getting some more bits and pieces. At least I can see their stuff and make plans as of this morning.
EDIT: Tanker, collier, AA paddle steamer, Raum-boot and lighthouse purchased :)
The plane looks good
Take care
Andy
Very nice
I am trying to fight off the urge to buy the starter set. I managed to avoid it at Overlord yesterday, but I have looked at the stuff available last night and twice today.
Its no help that Sunjester bought it yesterday and kept on talking about it on the way home. :)
Then it's easy, you only need one set of rules between you, just get a flotilla instead... :d
Four H&R Landing Craft Assault and two Landing Craft Mechanised, still needing their ID labels but otherwise done.
The LCAs were used for anything from landing a special ops teams for a commando style raid to landing a platoon of troops on the D-Day beaches.
The LCMs could land a tank or other vehicles or up to 60 troops. At other times they acted as fire support for the LCAs.
The LCAs had a Bren gun in the bows, a couple of .303 MGs aft and could also carry a pair of 2" mortars.
The LCMs had a pair of .50 MGs, a pair of .303s and might also carry a pair of 2" mortars and smoke generating equipment.
With speeds of 6 - 10 knots these are never going to outrun an E-Boat!!!
:-bd =D> :-bd
Rather cool Mike
Quote from: Ithoriel on 08 March 2019, 12:04:29 AM
Four H&R Landing Craft Assault and two Landing Craft Mechanised, still needing their ID labels but otherwise done.
With speeds of 6 - 10 knots these are never going to outrun an E-Boat!!!
Which is exactly what happened at Slapton Sands (28 April 1944).
Nice eye candy Mike. Will you restrict gaming to narrow seas naval - or add a beach landing with 3mm tanks and infantry?
I have enough 0ddzial Osmy stuff to do a Panzer or Panzergrenadier Brigade plus attachments and a similar sized British force, Sunray.
Currently waiting for BKC IV and it's army lists before deciding on basing so currently in the lead mountain.
Combined ops definitely planned.
Those look great, Mike !! :-bd
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Sunray on 08 March 2019, 08:54:00 AM
Which is exactly what happened at Slapton Sands (28 April 1944).
My late, dear departed next door neighbour was on the clear up for that. Fishing bodies out the sea for weeks he said. He also claimed one of the local pilots started 'helping themselves' to personal effects.
He wasn't seen again...
Quote from: Ithoriel on 08 March 2019, 11:57:21 AM
I have enough 0ddzial Osmy stuff to do a Panzer or Panzergrenadier Brigade plus attachments and a similar sized British force, Sunray.
Currently waiting for BKC IV and it's army lists before deciding on basing so currently in the lead mountain.
Combined ops definitely planned.
Yeah, they are addictive ! What do you think makes purchase of 1/600 so compulsive ?
Will look forward to enjoying your paint work images as they appear Mike
Regards James
Quote from: Sunray on 08 March 2019, 01:40:09 PM
Yeah, they are addictive ! What do you think makes purchase of 1/600 so compulsive ?
Will look forward to enjoying your paint work images as they appear Mike
Regards James
Thanks for that James and to all the others posting supportive messages!
For me the attraction was being able to fit an entire unit at 1:1 scale on a 40mm square base (40mm disc for command) at a price that would't break the bank.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 08 March 2019, 02:10:22 PM
Thanks for that James and to all the others posting supportive messages!
For me the attraction was being able to fit an entire unit at 1:1 scale on a 40mm square base (40mm disc for command) at a price that would't break the bank.
Yes, 1/600 (3mm) would allow the satisfaction of 1:1 . So for a 20th century basic infantry unit (a 10 man section) would your base still be 40 square ?
A base would be a platoon. So roughly 30 men. Yes, I know, thirty men in that space in real life isn't a unit it's a target! However, certain liberties need to be taken :-)
30-ish infantry, 4 machine guns, 3 or 4 artillery pieces and tows, 3 or 4 tanks, up to half a dozen armoured cars.
Towns consist of 60mm square modules with the central 40mm removable to allow units to occupy the space. Farms are mounted the same way. So far just a few unpainted test pieces done.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 08 March 2019, 07:15:04 PM
A base would be a platoon. So roughly 30 men. Yes, I know, thirty men in that space in real life isn't a unit it's a target! However, certain liberties need to be taken :-)
30-ish infantry, 4 machine guns, 3 or 4 artillery pieces and tows, 3 or 4 tanks, up to half a dozen armoured cars.
Towns consist of 60mm square modules with the central 40mm removable to allow units to occupy the space. Farms are mounted the same way. So far just a few unpainted test pieces done.
Thanks Mike - as I read this - and looking at the new OO early WW1 Germans, I am thinking a platoon base on 40mm square would be a sweet fit for the 1870s (FPW etc)
Indeed the late 19th Century before the Head Sheds finally got it that mass attacks with the bayonet did not survive a killing ground dominated by MGs and quick firing artillery.
The Peter Pig ACW range offers a few ships that are passible in the time zone, and Tumbling Dice do a few nice WW1 small craft. Old Glory do massive Pre-dreadnaughts - too big for my table !
Hmmm ...adaption of To the last gaiter button to 1/600... :- I do like the colour of the FPW . Ruritania on the Black Sea perhaps ?
H&R package arrived this morning.
One tanker, one collier, a Raum-boot, a large German AA trawler, HMS Aristocrat (an AA paddle-steamer) and a coastal lighthouse.
I may not need a bigger boat but I do need some bigger bases.
The trawler and paddle-steamer in particular are somewhat larger than I'd realised!
Good thing Minibits work to order! ;D
Quote from: Ithoriel on 09 March 2019, 04:36:05 PM
H&R package arrived this morning.
HMS Aristocrat
The trawler and paddle-steamer in particular are somewhat larger than I'd realised!
Its a really neat model! I have one painted in WW2 style dazzle as in the fashion of the Clyde steamers. I am now minded to repaint in 1880s style as a steamer requisitioned for troop transport.
I hadn't really appreciated the revolution that occurred in naval ship design between the Battle of Lissa (1866- still very Napoleonic in tactics ) and the debut of Devastation (the first true battleship )in 1871. If I pitch towards the end of the century, there are three advantages:
1. Able to tweak Dave Manley's CS rules.
2. a decent range of Old Glory TBs, destroyers, and transition warships
3. Compatible with OO's range of "early" WW1 figures.
Need to do more research on the ships depicted as Old Gory models. For example trhe Preussan - is that the battleship or an earlier ship of that name? :-
Tumbling Dice have some amazing stuff in that period
Quote from: mad lemmey on 10 March 2019, 12:17:51 PM
Tumbling Dice have some amazing stuff in that period
Don't remind me! I have a single Battleship from the range which remains unpainted but also remains a constant temptation to start yet another period!
Quote from: Ithoriel on 10 March 2019, 01:45:00 PM
Don't remind me! I have a single Battleship from the range which remains unpainted but also remains a constant temptation to start yet another period!
Go on Mike. Be a trend setter- lead us as a flotilla into full blown 1/600 pre-dreadnaught naval warfare.
Are there good rules for this era of wargame ?
The pre-dreadnaught is 1/2400 scale but I'll pass on that ... for the moment :)
Meanwhile, since I'm waiting for some bases for the next tranche of ships, I thought it time to do some terrain.
So, I give you "Rocky Islet with Lighthouse."
Not exactly a masterpiece but serviceable for sure.
:-bd =D> :-bd
Quote from: Ithoriel on 25 March 2019, 02:07:57 AM
The pre-dreadnaught is 1/2400 scale but I'll pass on that ... for the moment :)
Meanwhile, since I'm waiting for some bases for the next tranche of ships, I thought it time to do some terrain.
So, I give you "Rocky Islet with Lighthouse."
Not exactly a masterpiece but serviceable for sure.
Mmmmmm. A Wendy tower, is it? ;)
Quote from: FierceKitty on 25 March 2019, 03:42:20 AM
Mmmmmm. A Wendy tower, is it? ;)
;D ;D ;D
Unlike most of my nominally 1/600 terrain, which is nearer 1/1000, this is a proper Heroics and Ros 1/600 scale lighthouse.
Looks good, whatever.
Nice one, Mike !! 8)
Cheers - Phil
Does that represent one lighthouse or a built-up area of lighthouses? :-\
Quote from: Westmarcher on 25 March 2019, 10:10:59 AM
Does that represent one lighthouse or a built-up area of lighthouses? :-
Built up area of 50,000 people
Quote from: ianrs54 on 25 March 2019, 11:45:00 AM
Built up area of 50,000 people
It could easily represent an entire continent! 5,000,000 people and hundreds of lighthouses :)
However, in game, one ship model represents one ship so I think we'll go with one lighthouse, one lighthouse keeper and maybe a squad of guards :)
I find myself now wondering if my limited modelling skills are up to creating a convincing "Freya" mobile radar station. A scenario along the lines of Operation Biting (aka the Bruneval Raid) might be fun and a change from dogfights and convoy raids.
Very nice Mike
Suspect the Freya would be too fragile.
Warlord have just released some erata - mostly ship data but some rules stuff. Try looking on their site. 11 page PDF
Blimey, that's an awful lot of errata!