Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Rich H on October 29, 2018, 12:24:15 PM
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Inspired by Cruel Seas but not willing to wait I bought Action Stations by David Manley and ordered some 1/600 boats.
I then got bored waiting so built some stand-ins then some complete boats too...
Have had two great games so far. The rules are pretty straightforward with a nice mix of detail and complexity while remaining slick. Good fun.
The last pic was the last desperate run by a German SBoot against a freighter... unfortunately it was too close to arm the torps and the Hunt class put two 4" shdlls up its bottom... suffice to say it did not end well for the SBoot!
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Same here. Cruel Seas has re-kindled my interest but the scale is too big IMO. So I have an order in at PTDockyard (1/600).
Looking around now for bases -- mdf and clear.
I have to go to the fabric shop to look for appropriate water designs.
I'm trying to figure out hidden movement -- besides blinds -- so spotting and starshells are more "realistic." I could do it with hexes and charting courses/positions but I'm still pondering.
Have you found any other source for 1/600 ships besides PTD?
Chuck
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Interesting post. Where did you order the ships?
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My order is in with Heroics and Ros - they are the old Skytrex boats. They have quite a good selection of stuff.
Not ordered from PT Dockyard as I don't want to get stung for USA->UK import duty and to make it worth the post I'd have to order enough stuff which mean I'll get stung...etc.
The ships above are all scratch built ;)
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We played with the full Actions Stations spotting rules and aside fomr a minor tweak to 'dazzle' it works well, we had searchlights, smoke and starshells all over the place. While you might know htey are out there until someon turns on a lamp you can't hit them!
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German Auxiliary Cruiser Komet.
With and without disguise!
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Not ordered from PT Dockyard as I don't want to get stung for USA->UK import duty and to make it worth the post I'd have to order enough stuff which mean I'll get stung...etc.
I've ordered from PTD in the past and I don't recall paying import tax, and if I did it wasn't a noticeable amount hence my failure to remember. Is it a recent thing this import tax stuff?
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No but someone else mentioned it. Will take another look.
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German Auxiliary Cruiser Komet.
With and without disguise!
Nice work Rich. Interesting reading on the German Raiders of WW2.
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Some interesting and very controversial stuff there too... look up the final battle of the Kormoran vs HMS Sydney.
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Some interesting and very controversial stuff there too... look up the final battle of the Kormoran vs HMS Sydney.
AKA the RAN fucks it up royally or what overconfidence and sloppiness can do for you. Incidentally it was HMAS Sydney. Same ship that sank the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni. Now the The Battle of Cape Spada is a real boy’s own naval battle.
If you fancy something exotic with German merchant cruisers, a little known episode was their raiding into the South Pacific, which included the shelling of the Australian phosphate terminal on Nauru. With some slightly ahistotical tweaking I reckon it would make a good CoC game with a landing party sent to destroy the conveyors. One of the raiders was fitted out with a Japanese seaplane, purchased by the German naval attache in Japan.
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Any reliable books on the Pacific raids, Carlos?
AKA the RAN fucks it up royally or what overconfidence and sloppiness can do for you. Incidentally it was HMAS Sydney. Same ship that sank the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni. Now the The Battle of Cape Spada is a real boy’s own naval battle.
If you fancy something exotic with German merchant cruisers, a little known episode was their raiding into the South Pacific, which included the shelling of the Australian phosphate terminal on Nauru. With some slightly ahistotical tweaking I reckon it would make a good CoC game with a landing party sent to destroy the conveyors. One of the raiders was fitted out with a Japanese seaplane, purchased by the German naval attache in Japan.
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Nice models again.
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Some interesting and very controversial stuff there too... look up the final battle of the Kormoran vs HMS Sydney.
Read a number of books over time. The Kormoran vs Sydney action is a classic.
Cheers,
Helen
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Going to look at making some Marinefährprahms and Artilleriefährprahm as they saw action in the channel too.
Essentially large landing craft, the MFPs were lightly armed but the AFPs were very heavily armed and reasonably armoured.
(http://www.german-navy.de/pics/kriegsmarine/afp.gif)
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Any reliable books on the Pacific raids, Carlos?
IIRC G. Hermon Gill covers it but there are some online sites that discuss the raiders. I think even Wiki covers it.
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I was pondering compiling some coastal scenarios inspired by historical events. I've 2-3 books on the way so I'll see what I can come up with.
Not much more than date, location, OOB, weather, terrain, special equipment, etc. jsut to give more ideas really.
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The Battle of the Narrow Seas by Peter Scott is practically all after action reports, so lots of scenario ideas. English channel only if that's a factor, but anything could be revamped for the Med or Pacific.
Chuck
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Ordered thanks!
Run out number three for Action Stations last night
MV Sitting Duck and MV Fishina Barrle have been separated from their convoy by a U-boot attack in the Atlantic.
Picked up by coastal radar, three S-Boots and the M35 Minesweeper ‘Vorschlaghammer’ are closing in for the kill.
Meanwhile a MGB and two MTBs have been vectored in to the area to escort them home.
The seas are getting heavy and it’s almost pitch black…
Sea state was 5 and vis 25cm… not great for hunting cargo ships!
4 blips in the middle of the table two of which ae the cargo ships their mission was to get off the table.
I was playing the Germans and started by moving my whole force onto the table as blips, which was a mistake as it just gave the Brits more time to escape! So next turn I deployed all my boats are roared off in pursuit. The Brits did likewise and gunned their motors to close the gap.
First clash was MTB vs S-Boot… with star shells blazing from the M35 lighting up the scene and searchlights stabbing out in the dark the MTB spotted an S-Boot at full throttle. Without hesitation the gunner put a 6pdr round straight into the fuel tank and the s-boot exploded in a ball of flame. 7/7 hull boxes in one hit! Not a great start…
Next the MGB shot almost all the weapons off my second S-boot. Most of the S-boots weapons are side and rear with only a 20mm pointing forward so I couldn’t do much in return! Reduced to 2/7 hull boxes the crew desperately clung on passing their crew test… only to be rammed by an MTB which scored a glancing blow reducing them to 1/7 boxes! The crew still hung on!
Deciding that given that they had no torpedoes (damaged) and almost no guns ramming was a viable option too and crashed solidly into the side of the second MTB! Sadly given the horrific state of the boat at this point it did 3/7 hull boxes to the MTB but reduced the S-boot to a burning mess.
I’d now got one reasonably functioning S-boot and an untouched M35 vs two barely scratched MTBs and a MGB… However… I finally spotted a cargo ship and the M35 was finally entering combat…
The M35 immediately made its presence felt raking an MTB with 20mm fire then finishing it with a 105mm hit. The MGB decided that it might be a good idea to put some distance between them… The second MTB set off in pursuit of my S-boot and the cargo ship crept along painfully slowly. The other two blips were not out of reach in a fog bank and pretty much home dry.
Dashing into a fog bank my S-boot was my last chance… There was a bit of a lull in combat now as between the dark, dazzling searchlights and fog we lost contact for a couple of turns, but my S-Boot, mostly by luck, managed to just about put itself in a position to fire torpedoes… but it was going to be tight! The MTB was out of sight behind a fog bank and the MGB mostly missed! The S-Boot raked the MV causing a couple of minor fires and torpedoes in the water! They were just outside 400yd minimum range and the cargo ship (moving at 8 kts) just could not manoeuvre in time!
Two hits! But one was a dud! The one that hid did 40/50 hull points of damage and trashed the engine room reducing the MV to a pitiful 3kts but it was still afloat! The S-boot then decided that running away was the best option, and trying to load torpedoes in sea state 5 under intense fire in the dark was a bad idea…
The fires slowly took hold of the cargo ship as the crews battled for control… last chance was the M35 which was closing in fast… but would it make it before getting into range of the coastal artillery!
Moving at 19kts vs the 3kts of the MV the M35 closed the distance easily and lit up the MV with searchlights. Two 105mm rounds later and the MV was going down… however as the engagement draws to a close the remaining MTB was lining up for a torpedo run on the M35… we decided it was a draw at this point, but having lost 2/3 S Boots and the last one leaving the table with 1/7 hull boxes and 3 fires vs the loss of one MTB it was solidly in the brits favour!
Another great game of Action Stations with loads of close action and desperate scrabbling for position! I think we are learning that the gunfire is very sporadic, the small arms tend to shoot guns and systems off but won't sink the boats but the medium and larger guns are unreliable but hit extremely hard! Also torpedo runs need planning about 3-4 turns in advance to get position!
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Great AAR.
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Sounds like a good game! Next time take photos (if possible, of course).
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(https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45213318_10156754672326774_988962717219946496_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_eui2=AeH9bY4jApHn4o_h9wRdhc_bR6sUC9fHIeWOC1Mt1AOWVsFAfCx_X4zFaRpi8vGI6hNArB_bXaI2hAIDfgFcAYINH4SCTUEFQfyMNnHg29F0hw&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-1.fna&oh=34fedcf55db0ad581417e156b63d2b6d&oe=5C86E82C)
just one pic form the very end of the game - still on my stand ins at the mo waiting for my H&R to arrive.
This is the Minesweeper dealing the final blows to the MV Sitting Duck while th eMTB lines up in th efog for a cheeky run in (It was too close to arm the torpedoes really)
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Ah - I find the Warlord choice of 1/300 a bit wierd, but the marketing certainly set off the Ooh! Shiny response.
Your 'stand in' models look bloody impressive, every bit as good as the H&R ones. Any tips?
Similar H&R order in the post and Action Stations to hand - plus a few Ospreys on the way. The Osprey New Vanguard are all print on demand, wonder if this will convince them to print some stock off....
Apparently Mr Manley is developing a new set - Narrow Seas - which the Edinburgh crowd are playtesting:
http://www.edinburghwargames.com/tag/narrow-seas/ (http://www.edinburghwargames.com/tag/narrow-seas/)
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Thanks but my stand ins are the 2d cutouts! The ships are staying. Ive plans for more too...
My HR order turned up minus 2 s-boots...
Noted Mr Manleys new rules. Eager to see more!
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Mr. Manley has said he is waiting to release Narrow Seas until (early) next year thinking Cruel Seas will dominate purchasing decisions.
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Boo!
I'd buy them...
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I would buy David's "Narrow Seas" rules in a heartbeat!
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H&R boats minus 2 E-Boats
Plus my AFP
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Mr. Manley has said he is waiting to release Narrow Seas until (early) next year thinking Cruel Seas will dominate purchasing decisions.
Those reports sold me on his rules. I’ll be keeping an eye out.
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Contact markers for action stations
Empty sea, sharks, whales, boats, etc
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Very nice markers.
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Ta :D
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Very nice - particularly like the sharks/dolphins - bits box?
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Rice! ;D
Acrylic modelling paste for the seas.
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(https://scontent.flhr4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45437265_10156763704446774_5228689337859702784_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_eui2=AeEvq2pDySMv7mZb9qlKO0hwYLsf43xfX628G6aNVJAV0QTQUX7iw68UPtk9rnnnnhDPI1wVyiRCXFzkrnA5baUt5MX24yAcGjdXg-1_CAAwxA&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-2.fna&oh=6aeb993c3e6345b7554efc7ba2ecded5&oe=5C87A889)
(https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45330492_10156763705496774_7057396458701455360_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_eui2=AeEE_pM8BqGZNO5QEqPpVrsP7mfxb7KHtBlPc0Dh4mWNYE8GU7OdFJOuRxrBQHjQQMgipxryTh__NET5EOj-8SI9nj3Suoihg8YQW88nFWcyMQ&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-1.fna&oh=d1f124734decb870918f3c1427fc144b&oe=5C463EC1)
Scratch build Fairmile D vs Heroics and Ros.
No tubes or guns so it can be any mark of Dog boat.
About to go onto silicone to add to the fleet and become wreck markers.
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Nice work.
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First pulls. Resin is past its best and got lumps in it. Less than ideal!
Few bubbles but I'm blaming the resin
H&S / scratch / 1st / 2nd
(https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45335661_10156764543476774_1094867836121120768_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-1.fna&oh=f43d9addc21d707ed59a1fda8d5959a9&oe=5C7E0041)
(https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45412371_10156764548616774_242278353548083200_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-1.fna&oh=aa779b5f26d39703a706bb8f8114c59b&oe=5C8568F4)
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S-Boots next
H&R / Scratch
(https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45351239_10156764665491774_6893833581399900160_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-1.fna&oh=eaed5d04a138b1bbf9cd960859e00bb2&oe=5C4574D0)
(https://scontent.flhr4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/45526130_10156764657421774_5222866191135014912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-2.fna&oh=4b294aaf1cf32025b8e3187f64a6dfbc&oe=5C74E8B3)
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Nice output - I like your own designs better than the H & R ships :D
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Thanks!
The S-Boot is now in the silicone
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Are the Heroics & Ros ships metal or resin?
Thanks
Chuck
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Heavy metal.
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The cargo ship is resin hull with metal fittings.
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Pulled a couple of S-Boot casts - they've come out pretty well even with lumpy resin.
going to make a few more tonight and make some wreck markers.
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Dog Boats (2 sinking) and S-Boots (2 sinking) I've also got 4 commercial Dog boats adn 1 (+2 in the post) S-Boots.
Also a dock for tonights raid on Caen:
The Brits have planned an audacious raid on the lock at Ouistrehem, near Caen (significant dramatic license has been applied!)
The massive lock gates provide access to the ‘Canal de Caen a la Mer’ and the inland waterways beyond.
Access is vis a narrow channel with a Quad 20mm and an 88mm emplacements on dock to the West and shallows on the East.
The lock is protected by an anti-torpedo net but intelligence reveals that the net was damaged during a recent storm and it might be possible to torpedo them (treat as shallows).
The plan is to pack the Flower class with explosives and ram the gates but torpedoes might do it instead if they can pass the net.
To preserve secrecy only a small escort has been provided and the plan is to rescue the Flower class crew from the pier after the ram.
A German Minesweeper is tied up on the dockside but in steam and once the enemy are spotted it will need to start engines and cast off (2 Crew tests before moving) also will need to man the guns (1 Crew test per gun).
British Forces
MGB 2pdr/twin 20mm
MGB 2pdr/twin 20mm
MTB 6pdr/2pdr/2 Torps
MTB 6pdr/2pdr/2 Torps
Flower 4"/2pdr
German Forces
Emplaced Quad 20mm (Light armour/Searchlight)
Emplaced 88mm (Medium armour/searchlight)
Minesweeper 105mm/105mm
S-Boot 20mm/40mm/2 Torps
S-Boot 20mm/40mm/2 Torps
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So last night was a decisive blow for the Brits against the Germans in Caen.
My 2 S-Boots found themselves surrounded very quickly and only managed to do superficial damage before the MGBs and MTBs sank one and seriously damaged the other. The Minesweeper one-shotted a MTB but only after it loosed it’s torpedoes…. the torpedoes couldn’t miss a stationary Class 3 target and caused massive damage. The minesweeper rapidly settled on the harbour floor and the crew legged it.
With one S-Boot with half its crew wounded or dead, most of its guns gone and a single torpedo it made a last ditch dash at the Flower class closing on the lock gates… sadly just as it reached a decent firing position one of the MGBs drove it off and the crew decided that actually they would be better off beaching it instead.
That left the two bunkers (quad 20mm and 88mm) to defend the lock… basically there was no real chance and rabidly the combined fire of 3 MGB/MTB and the flower class itself rapidly saw the gun crews off. The burning flower class then throttled up and rammed the gates at full power….
Another good game but the MTBs are extremely powerful with all those guns. I think I’ll build some of the short boats (elcos and vospers) as they are less dangerous. MTBs vs S-boots only goes one way as the 6pdrs and 2pdrs can easily gun an S-Boot in one round.
Pic 1: Surrounded S-boots (on fire in the middle) with one burning MTB makign a break for the fog.
Pic 2: The Flower class steaming at full power at the lockgates past the stricken M35 (OK it's a trawler not a Flower!)
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Sounds like another interesting game.
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Are the Action Stations rules still available? Are there any other coastal warfare rules out there? Thinking about Cruel Seas, but like others the scale seems to be too large to me.
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Wargames vault for Acton Stations.
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Seeing as the Germans seem to be getting a kicking i thought I'd make something for them to attack instead
Landing Craft Infantry (Large)
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Nice.
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And tiny Landing Craft Assault
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MFP Flaklighter
MFP
LCI (L)
LCA
Debating casting these...
Think I've sorted guns too.
Just put the gunshields on and fit barrels later.
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Nice.
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MFP convoy and LCI (L) convoy
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S-boots, sinking S-Boots, Coasters and an M35 minesweeper.
S-Boots and Coasters are scratch built. M35 from H&R
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Splendid work Rich. Love your models.
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Very nice.
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I was right, your sctach built ships are even better than the H&R, the coasters are cracking.
I forsee the Allies might regret staging a training excercise off the Devon coast....
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Cheers all! :)
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Lovely models! :-*
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Flower Class
(https://scontent.flhr4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48429968_10156886722316774_5233059415543775232_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-2.fna&oh=d30d696ff4070af307f088f3f00a5824&oe=5CCF8D94)
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Raumboot R130
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Nearly lost a finger doing the sheerline on this one... got a new Arkansas stone for sharpening and gave the chisel a going over... it ws sharp before but this time it went through 3 layers of MDF with barely any force! Had to remake the hull and try again with more care!
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Very nice.
I thought sharp tools were safer...
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Küstenfischkutter
Small boats built interwar and during the war as sub hunters, minesweepers and picket boats.
Despite being relatively small they carried various weapon loads. This one has a 37mm on the fore deck and 20mms on the aft deck and deckhouse roof.
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wow; tiny stuff here.
do most of you guys work under some sort of magnification?
thanks
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Not usually, mostly because my illuminated lamp is packed up somewhere... but it's helpful when I remember it!
Ruler for scale.
(https://scontent.flhr4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49077821_10156896538111774_5487297663873318912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr4-1.fna&oh=2ca26f49cf7f555db173b974a3efa27f&oe=5C8C2000)
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thank you. reference is helpful. I went up from HO 1/87 railroad modeling to 1/35 scale years ago because I was getting lost in detailing. I even use a magnifier for 1/25 scale automobile modeling now.
good for you to still be able to see so well.
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I use tweezers and a scalpel now where I used to use my fingers and a Stanley knife!
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I use tweezers and a scalpel now where I used to use my fingers and a Stanley knife!
And there are still folk that will tell you that the quality of the NHS has declined. ;)
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lol ;D
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The railings are a nice touch. Which photo etch are you using?
Thanks
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Master tools 06635 from ebay.
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really nice boats !!
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remember they are 1/600 ;)
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indeed they are!