Sunday, 24 June 2018
Thursday, 11 January 2018
20 Years of... Progress?
I started Warhammer in 1999. Next year, that'll make 20 years I've been in this hobby. And as I spend this week horizontal with the flu, I'm looking back on my progress.
I've never finished an army.
A Mordheim warband, that took 15 years, but that's the only playable, table-top ready force I've ever finished for any GW system. I've done lots of other stuff, re: Napoleonics, Star Wars, even some Dark Future. But Warhammer got me into this, and I want to finish SOMETHING.
So. In 2018, before I've been at this 20 years, I'm going to finish two to three armies.
Seraphon and Kharadron, amd maybe a Lizardmen army. I could run that with Seraphon obviously, but I've got a lot of 5th edition models I might want to stay a bit more classic with.
So expect updates on that, amd, someday, an actual update on all those finished Napoleonics amd Star Wars. Someday when Nurgle's not got me down.
I've never finished an army.
A Mordheim warband, that took 15 years, but that's the only playable, table-top ready force I've ever finished for any GW system. I've done lots of other stuff, re: Napoleonics, Star Wars, even some Dark Future. But Warhammer got me into this, and I want to finish SOMETHING.
So. In 2018, before I've been at this 20 years, I'm going to finish two to three armies.
Seraphon and Kharadron, amd maybe a Lizardmen army. I could run that with Seraphon obviously, but I've got a lot of 5th edition models I might want to stay a bit more classic with.
So expect updates on that, amd, someday, an actual update on all those finished Napoleonics amd Star Wars. Someday when Nurgle's not got me down.
Friday, 30 June 2017
Finished ships
I kinda slipped up posting the progress pics, so here's the finished(-ish) reveal!
I picked up the idea of using paintbrush bristles for rigging from a thread on TMP, and boy does it make life a million times easier.
You'll notice a lack of gunports, and that's because I'm just not a good enough painter for that, and I opted not to model them on, this batch. So as in painting miniature people and forgoing eyes by saying "they all blinked when I took the picture", in this case, the ports were never supposed to be different colours, to hide their number from the Frogs!
Also notable is a lack of "deck furniture", or detail on the decks at all. Again, I'm not that good to have it look like anything other than lumps, and since I (foolishly) build at 1/600, there's nothing much to buy. As much as I like building everything myself, cannon and deck detail would be something I'd happily buy.
The nameplates aren't actually affixed yet because I'm not happy with them. The text would be a lot more legible in yellow, I suspect. They're actually made out of cut pieces of faux wood blinds. Handy little shortcut.
Overall, I'm very happy with this batch. I learned a lot, my painting skills improved, I kept notes on what worked and what didn't, and most of all, I had fun!
I picked up the idea of using paintbrush bristles for rigging from a thread on TMP, and boy does it make life a million times easier.
You'll notice a lack of gunports, and that's because I'm just not a good enough painter for that, and I opted not to model them on, this batch. So as in painting miniature people and forgoing eyes by saying "they all blinked when I took the picture", in this case, the ports were never supposed to be different colours, to hide their number from the Frogs!
Also notable is a lack of "deck furniture", or detail on the decks at all. Again, I'm not that good to have it look like anything other than lumps, and since I (foolishly) build at 1/600, there's nothing much to buy. As much as I like building everything myself, cannon and deck detail would be something I'd happily buy.
The nameplates aren't actually affixed yet because I'm not happy with them. The text would be a lot more legible in yellow, I suspect. They're actually made out of cut pieces of faux wood blinds. Handy little shortcut.
Overall, I'm very happy with this batch. I learned a lot, my painting skills improved, I kept notes on what worked and what didn't, and most of all, I had fun!
Monday, 29 May 2017
Painting
Started painting. First came many, many thin coats of watered-down PVA glue, and then a couple thin coats of the colour.
Since these ships are all "weird" - ie., an experiment, two captures, and Canadian-built - I'm going to be a little more creative with the painting in the next step. A yellow stripe for Electryone, green for Luna (because the model of the Elvin has such a stripe), an orange stripe for Flare to reflect her Dutch upbringing, and probably Nelson Chequer for Puffin.
Since these ships are all "weird" - ie., an experiment, two captures, and Canadian-built - I'm going to be a little more creative with the painting in the next step. A yellow stripe for Electryone, green for Luna (because the model of the Elvin has such a stripe), an orange stripe for Flare to reflect her Dutch upbringing, and probably Nelson Chequer for Puffin.
Yarrrrrrr-d me mateys
Yards done.
The bases are siding samples with a couple quick coats of gloss varnish.
The bases are siding samples with a couple quick coats of gloss varnish.
Thursday, 4 May 2017
Spring in the dockyards
The icy grip of Winter has lifted, and Admiral Duncan puts the men to work preparing a squadron of ships for duty in the North Sea.
That is, I've finally gotten back to working on my 1/600 scale scratchbuilt Napoleonics. I had intended to do lots of detail work over the winter, leaving the messy business of gluing and sanding hulls for the summer, but painting Star Wars and, well, laziness (and work!) kept me from it. But no more!
The masts have been sent up on His Majesty's Ships Electryone, Luna, Flare, and Puffin. Not much of a squadron anyone would want to command, I grant you. Three brigs and a sixth-rate? I mean, just look at some of these ships!
You've got Puffin, a foreign, colonial-built 18-gun brig out of Halifax:
Luna, a captured Danish brig about whose stern the less said the better (though she mounts 18 canon as well):
Flare, another 18-gun capture, but this time Dutch-built (pray she holds together, lads!):
And the so-called "flagship" of the group, the experiment otherwise known as Electryone, 32:
That is, I've finally gotten back to working on my 1/600 scale scratchbuilt Napoleonics. I had intended to do lots of detail work over the winter, leaving the messy business of gluing and sanding hulls for the summer, but painting Star Wars and, well, laziness (and work!) kept me from it. But no more!
The masts have been sent up on His Majesty's Ships Electryone, Luna, Flare, and Puffin. Not much of a squadron anyone would want to command, I grant you. Three brigs and a sixth-rate? I mean, just look at some of these ships!
You've got Puffin, a foreign, colonial-built 18-gun brig out of Halifax:
Luna, a captured Danish brig about whose stern the less said the better (though she mounts 18 canon as well):
Flare, another 18-gun capture, but this time Dutch-built (pray she holds together, lads!):
And the so-called "flagship" of the group, the experiment otherwise known as Electryone, 32:
Just look at that deadrise! What were they thinking? All-in-all, an overgunned, questionably-built bunch of hulks. Well, maybe the next pile of oak on the stocks will amount to something more fitting of the Royal Navy. HMS Vigourous, Brilliance, and Lambent should be ready any day now.
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
All wings, report in (Image-heavy)
My Star Wars ships are all done.
First I made some stands
Turns out off-brand Q-tips are the perfect size for Micro Machines.
I sprayed them black and because the weather refuses to cooperate long enough for a second coat, went ahead and stuck the ships on!
The Rebels:
Blue Squadron:
Green Squadron:
Purple Squadron:
And the Imperials, comprised of elements from the 726th Flight, seen here in parade formation (aka, I don't have enough TIEs to make full squadrons):
And because why NOT use up all the bandwidth, pics in different lighting as well.
First I made some stands
Turns out off-brand Q-tips are the perfect size for Micro Machines.
I sprayed them black and because the weather refuses to cooperate long enough for a second coat, went ahead and stuck the ships on!
The Rebels:
Blue Squadron:
Green Squadron:
Purple Squadron:
And the Imperials, comprised of elements from the 726th Flight, seen here in parade formation (aka, I don't have enough TIEs to make full squadrons):
And because why NOT use up all the bandwidth, pics in different lighting as well.
Friday, 10 February 2017
Different kind of ship
Whooooooa long time no post. Some work has been done on the proper ships but until I have photos and write-ups collected, let's do a Star Wars post! Woo!
I've been doing lots of squadron-building, and not enough painting.
Blue Squadron (née Indigo) has grown considerably after some reinforcements from command.
Even more impressive, this little Rebel cell has been blessed with some of the latest and greatest starfighters in the Alliance, and now boasts B-wing in the form of Green Squadron.
Which is good, because unfortunately for the Rebels, they've started to attract some attention.
And the 726th Wing is ready to do battle with the pesky Rebel scum. Well, the 726th Wing and some reinforcements...
Still lots of painting to go. I made a brief foray into trying to "paint" with Sharpies, but the results are too glossy and rub off too easily, so back to paint it is. More TIEs would be nice, as ever. Instead of proper TIE and Interceptor squadrons, I just kind of have a swarm, at the moment. For the Rebels I'm still not convinced about the breakdown. I could do an all-X-wing interceptor/space superiority squadron, and make a Y/B dedicated bomber squadron, or leave them mixed as it is, each bomber element with attached escorts.
The biggest problem I'm running into is all the extras. I have more gold shuttles, Falcons, and TIE Advanceds than you can shake a stick at. :P So I've been making some Uglies, but that can be another post. For the moment, I hacked up an extra B-wing (on the assumption that I'll never find 6 more to make a full, 12-strong squadron of just B-wings; and also I've never really liked them that much) and a T-70 (because I hate T-70s) to make something that more or less looks like a Clone Z-95. The regular Z-95 looks like crap, but the Clone version is cool. Sadly I doubt we'll ever see a real model of it.
Till next time!
(When I should post the REAL ships... but... shhh....)
I've been doing lots of squadron-building, and not enough painting.
Blue Squadron (née Indigo) has grown considerably after some reinforcements from command.
Even more impressive, this little Rebel cell has been blessed with some of the latest and greatest starfighters in the Alliance, and now boasts B-wing in the form of Green Squadron.
Which is good, because unfortunately for the Rebels, they've started to attract some attention.
And the 726th Wing is ready to do battle with the pesky Rebel scum. Well, the 726th Wing and some reinforcements...
Still lots of painting to go. I made a brief foray into trying to "paint" with Sharpies, but the results are too glossy and rub off too easily, so back to paint it is. More TIEs would be nice, as ever. Instead of proper TIE and Interceptor squadrons, I just kind of have a swarm, at the moment. For the Rebels I'm still not convinced about the breakdown. I could do an all-X-wing interceptor/space superiority squadron, and make a Y/B dedicated bomber squadron, or leave them mixed as it is, each bomber element with attached escorts.
The biggest problem I'm running into is all the extras. I have more gold shuttles, Falcons, and TIE Advanceds than you can shake a stick at. :P So I've been making some Uglies, but that can be another post. For the moment, I hacked up an extra B-wing (on the assumption that I'll never find 6 more to make a full, 12-strong squadron of just B-wings; and also I've never really liked them that much) and a T-70 (because I hate T-70s) to make something that more or less looks like a Clone Z-95. The regular Z-95 looks like crap, but the Clone version is cool. Sadly I doubt we'll ever see a real model of it.
Till next time!
(When I should post the REAL ships... but... shhh....)
Monday, 25 July 2016
Flaring back to life
Progress on Electryone: holes for masts, and railings attached.
And a new ship started! This is taking the place of Luna as my Dutch brig. Completely scratch-building this one, no plans.
She'll be called Flare.
And a new ship started! This is taking the place of Luna as my Dutch brig. Completely scratch-building this one, no plans.
Saturday, 23 July 2016
Enough of this Luhnaucy
The fact is, if I want to do Dageraad, I may as well do it right. What I actual have is a "Elbfregatar"/Gluckstadt-class brig. So I'm just going to slap a Danish river-name on it and be done with it. I'll make Dageraad from scratch or from near-scratch, like I did with Electryone.
So my little captured Danish brig will be Luhnau, after a river in Schleswig-Holstein, just like the rest of her class, and the English will simply call her Luna. There.
So my little captured Danish brig will be Luhnau, after a river in Schleswig-Holstein, just like the rest of her class, and the English will simply call her Luna. There.
Friday, 22 July 2016
The New History of Machteld's Dagger
What a name, right? Well, the situation is this. Machteld, as I envisioned it, does not make sense. We've been over that. But the thing is, I just can't reconcile it. The Dutch didn't build with teak, a semi-privateer wouldn't be able to operate that way (not for long, anyway!), and there are just too many holes. Essentially what I was doing was crafting a pirate story, or possibly a heroic Golden Age story. Either could be fun, but simply don't fit with the period I have my heart set on and, frankly, enjoy the most.
Instead.
The ship in question will be Dageraad, 18, built 1780 in Amsterdam. She will be taken by the English in 1781 near Saldhana Bay (not in the actual battle, mind! Just like Aubrey, we'll set things near, not at or during.) The English will have entered her as Dagger, and all but immediately laid her up, because, well, what officer would want a ship like that?
Following that, Dagger will be sold off in 1795, and a exiled Dutch captain will purchase her. He'll also come by letters of marque and reprisal, and exception from impressment. He'll sail Dagger to the East Indies, intent on at least somewhat representing Dutch interests there/"supporting their British allies."
On the way there, from weather and action, maybe a reef, Dagger will be badly damaged, and he hauls her up for repairs. Those repairs see Dagger essentially rebuilt - with teak! Her heart, the framing, will remain good, honest, strong Dutch oak, but her armour will be teak. Since the ship will be restored (and improved), the captain sees fit to restore her name, and she will be Dageraad once more. He will also fit her with a lion figurehead painted red.
So that's my compromise on having a Dutch-built teak privateer. And it's one I think I can actually live with.
Instead.
The ship in question will be Dageraad, 18, built 1780 in Amsterdam. She will be taken by the English in 1781 near Saldhana Bay (not in the actual battle, mind! Just like Aubrey, we'll set things near, not at or during.) The English will have entered her as Dagger, and all but immediately laid her up, because, well, what officer would want a ship like that?
Following that, Dagger will be sold off in 1795, and a exiled Dutch captain will purchase her. He'll also come by letters of marque and reprisal, and exception from impressment. He'll sail Dagger to the East Indies, intent on at least somewhat representing Dutch interests there/"supporting their British allies."
On the way there, from weather and action, maybe a reef, Dagger will be badly damaged, and he hauls her up for repairs. Those repairs see Dagger essentially rebuilt - with teak! Her heart, the framing, will remain good, honest, strong Dutch oak, but her armour will be teak. Since the ship will be restored (and improved), the captain sees fit to restore her name, and she will be Dageraad once more. He will also fit her with a lion figurehead painted red.
So that's my compromise on having a Dutch-built teak privateer. And it's one I think I can actually live with.
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
Machtold off
So Machteld doesn't entirely make sense, from a quote-unquote lore standpoint.
There was no Dutch colonial shipbuilding, or at least, no large-scale shipbuilding. Not that I can find. The only substantiated evidence I can find at ALL is that there wasn't, so, I have to back that, instead of the occasional article that says "the VOC used teak for shipbuilding." And I suppose they did use it for repairs.
But I found a very vague reference about Hohlenberg "confess[ing to] having been inspired by a Dutchman" regarding his pinched stern, which Machteld sports. So I mean... I'm willing to accept that the ship was built by a private yard, in the Netherlands, of transported teak, and just discarded because of its weirdness until our brave captain got a hold of it back in the East Indies.
It just... isn't entirely historically accurate. But I suppose I can always just make a whole fake setting inspired by the Napoleonic Wars/the Age of Sail.
Hmmm....
There was no Dutch colonial shipbuilding, or at least, no large-scale shipbuilding. Not that I can find. The only substantiated evidence I can find at ALL is that there wasn't, so, I have to back that, instead of the occasional article that says "the VOC used teak for shipbuilding." And I suppose they did use it for repairs.
But I found a very vague reference about Hohlenberg "confess[ing to] having been inspired by a Dutchman" regarding his pinched stern, which Machteld sports. So I mean... I'm willing to accept that the ship was built by a private yard, in the Netherlands, of transported teak, and just discarded because of its weirdness until our brave captain got a hold of it back in the East Indies.
It just... isn't entirely historically accurate. But I suppose I can always just make a whole fake setting inspired by the Napoleonic Wars/the Age of Sail.
Hmmm....
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
Launch!
Done! Didn't take a progress pic of black undercoat, but I trust you can picture it. Also, decided to skip rigging. Couldn't get my fat fingers in there. The next one, I'll maybe do the rigging before attaching the masts. Anyway!
HMS Essence, 56
Psyche-class
4th-rate Frigate
280 men
Lower gundeck: 28x 24pdr
Upper gundeck: 28x 32pdr carronades
Broadside weight of 784lbs
HMS Expeditious, 32
Psyche-class
5th-rate Frigate
250 men
Upper gundeck: 28x 24pdr
Forecastle: 2x long 9pdr
Broadside weight: 336lbs
Bases made from some house siding.
Well, the fit and finish may not be the best in HM's Navy, but I'm darn pleased with these. I had fun, and they taught me a lot that will go into future builds.
HMS Essence, 56
Psyche-class
4th-rate Frigate
280 men
Lower gundeck: 28x 24pdr
Upper gundeck: 28x 32pdr carronades
Broadside weight of 784lbs
HMS Expeditious, 32
Psyche-class
5th-rate Frigate
250 men
Upper gundeck: 28x 24pdr
Forecastle: 2x long 9pdr
Broadside weight: 336lbs
Well, the fit and finish may not be the best in HM's Navy, but I'm darn pleased with these. I had fun, and they taught me a lot that will go into future builds.
Thursday, 14 July 2016
Machteld
As I mentioned, Civil, after all my abuse of her, matched the dimensions of a captured Danish ship called either Elben, Elven, or Elvin, depending on whom you ask and whom she was sailed by. Regardless, there's not much information on the ship. The British made a draft of her semi-sister Gluckstadt.
But it's not complete. However, thanks to the absolutely incredible staff of the Orlogsmuseet, I was able to see some pictures of the partial models that exist there of the Elben.
Bow and stern. While I'd love a full model, those pictures provided by the museum were more than enough, and gave me what I needed to complete the shape of Civil.
I am very, very pleased with the results, though admittedly slightly confused by the stern - as no doubt were the British, since all three ships of this semi-class laid in ordinary for years and years. But, as to the name? Well I've decided to change things up. Civil is no longer going to have been a Dromadarie-class, nor even a Danish ship. Instead it's going to have been a (possibly Danish-inspired) VOC ship built in Java - of teak - and set aside for some years due to its odd nature. It then becomes claimed by a Dutch captain who gathers a crew of anti-French Dutch and sails as a privateer pirate, like the Geuzen 200 years before. Now, I admit, I've been hesitant about alt-history before, but I'm giving way, a little, with this ship. I've just so fallen in love with it, I'm allowing myself some romantic notions about its history and career.
As to the name, in one version of the song or legend of Heer Halewijn - an evil king who ensnares maidens with his magical song - the maiden who frees herself and kills him is named Machteld. What better inspiration for Dutch rebels against Napoleon? Again, very romantic, I grant, but so sue me.
 |
| Wait, what? |
As to the name, in one version of the song or legend of Heer Halewijn - an evil king who ensnares maidens with his magical song - the maiden who frees herself and kills him is named Machteld. What better inspiration for Dutch rebels against Napoleon? Again, very romantic, I grant, but so sue me.
Tuesday, 12 July 2016
Put him in the brig until he's sober
So, brig.
Took the top deck off, the stain is the layer of glue beginning to come through. But I put a dip in the nose. On purpose, actually, but it looked silly. So...
So now it has a rounded bow. I'm pleased with the shape but I might give it some more work later. It turns out that at these dimensions (length 3.68 times breadth) it scales up to within inches of the Danish Elvin, which the British captured, but never draughted. I'm trying to track down a model of it but unless I can, I'll just call this a fictional Danish ship.
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