...some more 1/1200 ships

I realise now that I left out a few ships last night. I had a migrane. That is my excuse. Eh-hem.

The Chilian Ironclad Almirante Cochrane (Huston) [Not happy with the guns at all - my bad not the models]

 

The Harbour Defence Ironclad 'HMVS Cerberus' (Brigade Models)

Note: This model is probably the best naval model I have ever had in this scale. I do wish that Brigade Models would make more of them.

The Fictional Turret-Ram 'HMS Thunderchild'

This model is converted from a WW1 Submarine Cruiser and has been made based on the descriptions and proposals for the type of ship that Wells describes in his famous novel. The most noticeable features that I have tryed to get accross are the 'turtleback' hull and the dagger shape.

Fleet Review: 1/1200 Ships

At the request of a fellow wargamer, here are some pictures of my collection of 1/1200^th scale late Victorian warships.

Enjoy

The Ill-fated Peruvian Ironclad ‘Independicia’ (Houston miniatures)

 The Famous Peruvian Turret-Ship ‘Huscar’ (Houston miniatures)

The Fictional Peruvian Ram ‘El Toro Suprimo’ (Navwar)

The French Costal Defence Ram ‘Le Tigre’ (Houston miniatures)

Nemo’s Nautilus (MB Models and Spares)

A generic armoured paddle-steamer (Langdon)

The Peruvian Monitors ‘Manco Cápac’ and ‘Atahualpa’ (Navwar)

The HMS Majestic (Houston miniatures)

1879, British attack on French Colonial Assets.

It is 1879. The ‘Great War’ in Europe has been raging for almost 6 months. Following the repulsion of the French invasion forces from British soil, an empire wide campaign is brought into operation to take the fight back to the French and every corner of the world in their possession.

 

^ The Forces of the Crown launch a costal strike against French Ships in harbour. The French ships start unmoving in their harbour, whilst British forces march from the west (bottom of the photo), under the protective fire of the Royal Navy.

^ The British Line Advances

^ As does the French Line

^ The French Battleship 'La Gloire' supported by the gunboats 'Tripoline' and 'Mafalde', attempt a flanking move on the British line, destined for failure, as within minutes the an anarchist bomb detonated in the magazine of ‘La Glorie’ before she could make any real impact on the battle. Despite this setback, the French pushed forward, easily holding the line with their considerable advantage in numbers.

^ The costal monitor ‘HMS Dictator’, the battleship-of-the-line ‘HMS Dinosaur’ and the torpedo ram ‘HMS Thunder Child’.  A Rag-tag British squadron crept along the cost on a mission to destroy a squadron of French ironclads unawares whilst at port. However fate was not to have it, as news of their presence and intentions reached the French squadron in time for  the ships to raise steam and for several regiments to be rushed to their defence.

^ The Thunder Child  torpedoes French frigates leaving port. 

 Actually found time to play a game of Land Ironclads. It was just something I did after work one day, so we sort of ‘winged’ making the scenario and orders of battle. It went rather well considering that, however it soon turned out that running a naval battle alongside a major land battle was a little less interconnectivity than intended. Aside from a few pot shots, the naval and land battles were entirely separate. When the battle-lines did come to meet it soon turned out that the forces were a little less than balanced, and the superiority in French numbers took their toll on the British. Still bloomin’ good fun though.

Peruvian ‘Regular’ Forces

Peruvian Regulars

The regular infantry companies of Peru. Brass Helmets, White Tunics, Red Trousers. 

Cavalry Companys

Three squadrons of cavalry and a battery of horse artillery. 

Artillery 

Krupp 6 Pounders.

Armoured Artillery Conveyors 

A 6” Naval gun mounted in a diesel powered armoured shell. 

Ironclad Destruction Guns

Due to the defensive nature of Peru’s defence policy, the decision was made to channel funding to large defensive guns rather than mobile land ironclads. A number of 48” Webley-Armstrong Rocket Cannons were installed in defence of key strategic locations along the cost. The slow moving 48” rocket propelled shell proved to be highly effective against both naval and land ironclads throughout the Spanish Reclamation. 

The Peruvian Land Navy

“Inversimil Yacumama” 2^nd Class LandCrusier

The most powerful land-ship in the Peruvian land navy, the “Inversimil Yacumama” (trans Improbable Sea-monster), was converted from a abandoned privateer cruiser in 1882. Although the machine appears cumbersome, it is in fact highly stable and fast moving. As she did at sea in her original incarnation, the “Inversimil Yacumama” is a highly effective Land Cruiser, able to penetrate or outflank enemy battle lines at hit hard at her venerable supply lines and command posts.

“Boxeador, Katherine and Nuevo Generosidad”, 3^rd Class Battle Ironclads

The “Boxeador, Katherine, Nuevo Generosidad” are all examples of modern land ironclads of the British Rhomboid design. Modern, well armed and armoured but rather slow, these machines are a considerable asset to the main battle line wherever they are deployed.

“Bolognesi and Cáceres”, 4^th Class Ironclad Hunters

Perceiving the threat of the vast fleets of foreign ironmongery that would soon steam their way across the dusty sands of the desert, a project was put into place to overcome the inevitable numerical superiority of enemy ironclads. The result was these ‘Ironclad Hunters’. Small, concealable and mounting a heavy 12” gun, they would prove to be a considerable threat on the battlefield.

“Número I – IV”, 5^th Rate War Tractors

During the War of the Pacific a considerable number of heavy industrial tractors were converted into improvised fighting machines. With added armour plating and the addition of cannon turrets, they proved themselves to be viable combat units throughout the conflict leading to their permanent adoption in the Land Navy.

Nemo’s Nautilus

“The involvement of what the press reported as ‘magnificent craft’, first in the War of the Pacific, then in the subsequent Spanish Reclamation and then again in the Invasion of 1899, has long been a mystery to all observers, including Peruvian Command themselves. These enigmatic machines appeared and involved themselves unaccountably, showing themselves to be of superior science and design to anything else known to the world, constantly harassing shipping and even being present at major engagements. The only accountable theory for their presence is that these men of magnificent scientific ability, whomever they should be: dissidents or anarchists, were working outside of the scientific circles of the world, and had logically then chosen to take up residence previously undisturbed areas of South America or the remote islands of the Pacific.”

Having made a model of The Albatross from ‘Robur the Conquer’ it felt only right to make a model of Nemo’s Nautilus. I’ve gone with something closer to the description from the book rather than the Disney interpretation of the machine. It’s a 1:1200 British Great War submarine with some very light converting. I cut the hull into a slightly different shape and added a small fin made of some card. It took less than an hour in the end. Its painted green because grey is just so...grey. Hope you all like it, C&C always welcome.

Robur's Albatross

“The involvement of what the press reported as ‘magnificent craft’, first in the War of the Pacific, then in the subsequent Spanish Reclamation and then again in the Invasion of 1899, has long been a mystery to all observers, including Peruvian Command themselves. These enigmatic machines appeared and involved themselves unaccountably, showing themselves to be of superior science and design to anything else known to the world, constantly harassing shipping and even being present at major engagements. The only accountable theory for their presence is that these men of magnificent scientific ability, whomever they should be: dissidents or anarchists, were working outside of the scientific circles of the world, and had logically then chosen to take up residence previously undisturbed areas of South America or the remote islands of the Pacific.”

After seeing the rather good go at Robur’s Albatross from the scientific romance ‘Robur the Conquer’ on [http://steelonsand.blogspot.com/2010/08/roburs-albatross-is-launched.html] I thought I’d try my hand at converting my own idea of the machine. It’s a simple little thing, a 1:1200 model of the Confederate Ironclad ‘CSS Stonewall Jackson’ (By Navwar) with added rotor-masts made from spare Areonef masts (by Brigade Models) and a few other bits and bobs . It was really easy to make, I just cut down the masts and put them into holes Id drilled in the hull of the ironclad. I attempted to get it close to the description in the book as I could, and I don’t think it’s too far off. The main differences are that I’m 3 rotor-masts short and I painted the thing bright red. I’m not sure what I think about the supposed rotor blades, but I think they’ll do for this one.

It’s 1:1200(ish) scale and is going to be used as aeronef support for my upcoming campaign, the Spanish Imperial reclamation of South America.



With this one finished I’m just waiting on my submarine to turn up so I can convert it into Nemo’s Nautilus.

Do please tell me what you think, I’d love to know. This is my first ‘blog’ entry, ever.