My Landship: Review and Naming Contest

[Plynkes]

Normally I would have put this in "Latest Mini Received" but I thought I'd put it here to make it easier for General M@yhem to find, as he was asking about it earlier.

So my Great War Miniatures Mark IV has arrived from North Star:

The package contains a resin hull, two resin sponsons, plus a placcy bag filled with assorted metal tranklements.

On the whole I'm pretty impressed. A couple of nasty lines down the side of the hull, but they shouldn't be two difficult to get rid of. A minor annoyance but mould lines and the like are a given in this business, one supposes.

I am less forgiving (especially as this model ain't exactly cheap) of the complete lack of instructions. Proper hobby scale modellers get instructions with their kits, but us poor cousins the wargamers are almost always expected to do without. Dunno why that is. I'm not really so much of a modeller, so I would think that as a wargamer I need more help than a proper model-hobbyist on that score, not less! Grrr, harrumph etc. Sorry to go on, but that really bugs me sometimes.

On the other hand, I just got the Osprey on the Mark IV, so I should be able to figure out where all those bits of metal are supposed to go.

Can't really compare it with the Brigade tanks, as this is my only one. But here is the beast with a Brigade Tommy stood by it, for size comparison:

Going by photos my impression is that the tank is ever so slightly smaller than it ought to be for 28mm. But on the other hand the chap is standing on a base and the tank isn't. On the whole I think it will mix in fine with my troops.

I'm feeling pretty keen about it so unfortunately for my other figures, this one is going to jump straight to the head of the queue.

Provisionally I'm christening the beast His Majesty's Land-Ship (HMLS) Plum Duff, but am throwing it open to suggestions. Early tanks had some really silly names, so knock yourselves out. If anybody can come up with something I like better than Plum Duff I will adopt that name, and the winner will have the honour of having the tank commander named after their Lead Adventure screen-name when it comes to writing up a battle report.

Some real life Landship names to give you some food for thought:
HMLS We're All In It
Crème De Menthe
Dracula
Autogofasta
Chablis
Daredevil
HMLS Sir Archibald

Good luck!

[Hammers]

Provisionally I'm christening the beast His Majesty's Land-Ship (HMLS) Plum Duff, but am throwing it open to suggestions.
Some real life Landship names to give you some food for thought:
HMLS We're All In It
Crème De Menthe
Dracula
Autogofasta
Chablis
Daredevil
HMLS Sir Archibald

If you are set on puddings and you are going to paint it in camoflage perhaps "Spotted Dick" would do. (Or am I missing one of these devious subtle british jokes here? Spotted Dick and Plumm Duff is perhaps the same thing?)
Or HMLS "Wreckless"

[coggon]

HMLS "Flashman"
HMLS "Flashman Charger Mark 3.5"
HMLS "Flashman II" (named for his eminence the son, not the father)

[TadPortly]

WW I tank names usually corresponded with the Battalion within which the tank operated.  This link may be useful:

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/british_tank_names.htm

There are some really wierd names to modern ears, but I assume these would not have sounded out of place 90 odd years ago.  My own personal favourite is "Rumblebelly" followed by "Fritz Phlattner"

[PeteMurray]

I'm rather fond of "Spotted Dick" and "Plum Duff." You could always add a "Hasty Pudding" to that company, if you wanted.

[Plynkes]

Thanks for that link, TadPortly. My favourite from that selection (and proof that naming tanks after food is historically plausible) is Fray Bentos.

What kind of a nut-job would call their tank that? I love it!

[Hammers]

'Fray Bentos'? I've heard of 'Frito Lays' but not  'Fray Bentos'...

[revford]

Fray Bentos are renowned makers of tinned pies.

I think they are unique to the UK as I can't see a big international demand.  

It's a superb, bordering on perfect, name for a tank.

[Plynkes]

Fray Bentos is a town in Uruguay, notable for its meat-processing plant. The British pie-making company named their pies after the source of the meat in them.

And thinking about it, it really is the most perfect, funny and macabre name for a tank.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

HLMS Quatermain

[Westfalia Chris]

Pie in a can! What will they think of next!

Now you HAVE to name the little beauty thusly, hear me! It will either make mincemeat out of the opposition, or a dastardly shell will do it to the crew - either way, mincemeat.

Yum. I´m getting hungry! ::

[Plynkes]

Well I've assembled the brute. All except the unditching beam. Can't decide whether to put it on or not. What would look really cool would be to have it deployed, dangling from the tracks on little bits of jewellery chain or something.

But that seems way too much effort for a lazy oaf like myself. I'll start the painting  tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

[Plynkes]

First steps after construction: Blocking in basic colour. The fancy stuff can begin when this is all dry and hard tomorrow.


(Keen-eyed Lead Adventurers will spot the Spice Girls in the bottom left corner. Remember them? Were this a female tank I might well dub it "Scary Spice" after my favourite one.)

[Hammers]

The British pie-making company named their pies after the source of the meat in them.

Ah. An item of British gastronomy. Scary stuff in a tin shell.

[Grimm]

HLMS Lead Toster  !?! what do you think ?