The Dual Revisited (1): Le Franklin versus HMS Thunderer (1/1200 NapNaval)

As if the sands of time had somehow been reversed, the Le Franklin's topsail hove into view from the lookout's position aboard HMS Thunderer. Armed with the revised interpretations of the Action Under Sail (4th Edition) rules the combatants 'made ready', the players had also switched playing sides from last time, so the French players were British and visa versa.

Both ships start with the wind on their quarter, coming from the left hand side of the photograph (see below):

The Royal Navy Commander contemplates a turn towards the wind to bring himself across the bow of the Frenchman (see below):

Both captains have chosen identical tactics to try and gain advantage of the "weather gauge" (see below):

The Frenchman seems to be gaining a slight advantage, though she sailing periolously close to the wind for her average rated crew (see below):

This is becoming a tense affair as the Frenchman has now reached her maximum position (without sustaining damage) while the Royal Navy crew have something in reserve as they can take their vessel closer to the wind if need be. They are waiting to see if the Frenchman makes a mistake (see below):

The Frenchman is now making little or no headway against the wind whereas the British still have managed to keep a full sail (see below):

This allows the British Commander to narrow the gap before his sails sag, bereft of power, both captains are ready to bring their helms around for action (see below):

From a slow crawl to a sudden spurt of speed and the two ships haul alongside each other (see below):

Both sides get ready to deliver their first broadsides. Already a tactical affair, this game has a developing sense of drama about it. Both players are cagey and are trying to size their opposition up before totally committing themselves on a full-blooded strategy.

Next: Fire as she bears Mr Christian!

HMS Implacable's Sails and Deck (1/1200 Navwar)

 The painting programme of HMS Implacable continues (see below):

Three colours of (Game) Vallejo paints:

• Plague Brown (Shade)
• Off White (Mid-Tone)
• Dead White (Highlight)

Next: I need to work on the outer hull.

HMS Implacable Takes Shape (1/1200 Napoleonic Naval)

The third 'ship of the line' in the British Squadron, HMS Implacable, is on the stocks (see below):  

Early days yet, but the metal has been cleared of flash and the hull has been drilled for the rigging lines, the model under coated and given a base shade. All the sail bits go together nicely and it is now a case of painting her up, working her inside out and fitting the rigging (see below):

Despite being nominally "British" HMS Implacable is another example of a ship that fought on both sides in the Napoleonic Wars, starting life as the French Duguay-Trouin, but being captured in 1805 and then used by the British (notably in the 1808 Anglo-Russian War, when she captured a Russian 74).

Note: The capture took place post Trafalgar (which she fought in) at the subsequent The Battle of Cape Ortegal

This means on her completion the naval actions can move to a 2:1 ships against the (elite crews of the) Royal Navy.

Blog with very nice Napoleonic Ships (1/1200) in it

http://volsminiatures.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/1%3A1200

Space: Planets (2) 'Six' Outer Planets

A distance shot of a trio of planetary curios (see below):

• A barren "Rusty Red"
• A fiery "Lava Orange"
• A gaseous "Sickly Blue"

Close up and I think that the "Sickly Blue" one has a distinct gaseous or water feel to it. The "Lava Orange" meanwhile has obvious plate tectonic activity (see below):

The "Rusty Red" seems to have a high iron content which should doubtless prove of high interest to the intergalactic mining fraternity and the associated lawlessness that comes with an asset striping 'free for all' (independent or with corporate sponsorship).

My final trio of planets are "studies in Green" (see below):

• A "Sickly Green"
• The (snow capped) Twin Jungle Greens"

After closer inspection the "Sickly Green" is in fact a montage of dirty coloured gases from brown to blue, passing through green in rather a mucky fashion (see below):

A closer inspection of one of the "Twin Jungle Greens" reveals obvious 'growth' resembling what you would expect from the GW 40K "Tyranids" or Hollywood "Alien" home worlds (see below):

A pressing unanswered question is how do I mount them? If their final resting place is to be a bedroom ceiling(s) in diorama form, then embedded 'hooks' are probably the best bet, but I would like to hedge my options and be able to mount them table-top in order that I deploy then for 'as yet unspecified' space fleet battles. They just seem too useful to be 'just' pretty ornaments.

Space: Planets (1) "Big Ones"

In the immortal words of Dr. Spock, "It's life Jim but not as we know it". I bring to the conclusion a pet wargame, Science or Science Fiction project that I must have started a decade ago having come across some interesting (as in full of potential) polystyrene haberdashery "balls". I covered the balls in PVA glue and rolled them in sand, then let id set and undercoated it in cheap acrylic paint. I then layered further acrylic paints layers to suit style and mood of the moment. The first of my creations id "Big Blue" , a water world of sorts (see below):

She looks "Earth-like" to my eyes although the painted continents are nothing like our planet (see below):

Now comes a rather clumpy looking desert planet, which has a Saturn like appeal to it. Yes that is the "Mark 1" hanging hook (see below):

A more prosaic planet without said attachment methinks (see below):

As well as 'big balls' I managed to pick up some smaller ones, I obviously had plenty of paint left from the Saturn planet to finish off these two smaller moons (see below):

It was fun as I could be creatively messy after taking inspiration from pictures of planets from out Solar System and old episodes of Star Trek and Star Wars (see below)

Next: The outer planets

The Secret Mission (cont) Napoleonic Naval Rules Test (Part 2 of 2)

The two Third Rates bear down on each other in a truly aggressive fashion. The Frenchman is determined to put up a spirited fight despite her "secret cargo" (see below):

As the ships pass "long range" shots are exchanged with the British hitting but not getting much from her high aimed rigging shots. The French were again ineffective, just plain missing their target. The Frenchman turns in truly heroic Gallic fashion to engage the British at medium range. Both sides elect to go for the hull after the disappointing results of "mast and rigging shots". The British destroy three French gun batteries (now down to ten from the original thirteen) while the Frenchman "gets lucky" with a critical hit knocking out the whole of the British main mast! A catastrophic blow as HMS Thunderer is left drifting slowly to starboard for two turns (see below):  

The French shark (left of picture below) menacingly maneuvers to the stern of HMS Thunderer as she is haplessly busy cutting away her fallen rigging and mast. The French captain is busily ordering a boarding party to be formed with his marine contingent and spare crew (see below):

But what is this? The French helmsman shows his inexperience. With what little propulsion left available to HMS Thunderer, the Royal Navy elite crew put it to good use (or was it just French over confidence) and Le Franklin receives a shattering bow rake of "double shot" at short range. This wipes out another three gun batteries and worse still a critical hit on the helm is received. Le Franklin sails on straight for two turns (see below):

This means the faster French ship crashes into the slower Royal Navy ship despite frantic last minute application of the helm (see below):

This means another section of the rules can be tested as a furious boarding action ensues. The French have an initial advantage in men, but quality counts in favour of the British. In addition the British rake Le Franklin one more time before the boarding takes place off. The British (led by their captain in true Nelsonic fashion) repulse the Frenchman (see below):

The battle ebbs and flows but once the British gain the upper hand the outcome in inevitable. The Frenchman strikes her colours as a shadowy figure (of the Republic) is seen attempting to burn 'secret papers' in the Captain's cabin of the Le Franklin (which as per true life will become the future HMS Canopus).

Footnote: 
The rules were Action Under Sail (4th Edition): Rules for Naval Warfare 1756-1815.