Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: Sir_Theo on January 06, 2018, 01:12:25 PM
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This year I'm going to finally get to grips with my Blood and Plunder stuff and I want to get a few ships. The Fireflock games ones look very nice and not too badly priced for their quality but I was wondering what ranges people recommend? I know Ainsty do some and then there are minimi, which I am particularly interested in due to their price! I can buy two of their sloops for the price of one from the other manufacturers. Are they ok or is it a false economy?
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In my opinion Ainsty is the best of the lot. They are heavy though. Firelocks are nice and much lighter.
Dont know much about the other company, but if you want high quality go with Ainsty.
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I can echo that re Ainsty plus they tend to have more detailing with the white metal anchor and rigging tackle. But looking at the minimum prices, they look good value.
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If you haven't checked it out yet, there's a lovely sticky thread on this very board:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=24456.0
I've seen the Ainsty ships at hand and they're lovely. I know many people swear by Games of War ships too. http://www.gamesofwar.net/
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Ach yes sorry. Ill take a look.
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Theya re all very good, but the Games of War ships are particularly nice.
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IMHO, half the fun of Pirate Wargaming is converting toy ships into game models! :D
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Have a look at my compiled list of tabletop ship manufacturers here:
http://cianty-tabletop.blogspot.de/2008/10/setting-sail-collecting-ships-for.html (http://cianty-tabletop.blogspot.de/2008/10/setting-sail-collecting-ships-for.html)
Personally, I think the ships from Games of War are the best by far (and I also have Ainsty, Firelock Games and Old Glory for comparison). Their material and casting quality as well as detail and size is superior to everything else I have seen.
I still need to finish the sails on the GoW British Cutter and then I will post a review of the model on my blog. Here's a sneak preview of the model so far:
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nIlLMFhs6yE/WXULdqkF_LI/AAAAAAAACpA/ldeO77CKwOceJnc9eSUTaMYg2R1Z1LyXwCLcBGAs/s1600/dio2b.jpg)
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This russian paper model looks good. Its a little bit pricy but 276 parts is a lot
http://russia-best.com/product/galleon-card-model-kit/
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I agree with all of the above.
The Ainsty vessels are superb, as are the GoW vessels too. The Firelock vessels look very nice as well, and look right for the period.
I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.
The GoW longboat and jollyboat have unbelievable detailing at a very attractive price, which includes free shipping to the USA, if you meet their low, minimum purchase requirement. I can't recommend them enough, and want to purchase a few more, as the naval budget permits.
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For my 28mm pirate collection I went with repurposed toy ships that were originally marketed with the release of the different Pirates of the Caribbean films ( 2 versions of the Black Pearl and one of the Queen Anne's Revenge). I got mine at the swap meet/broken or discarded toys. Most required a bit of repair and modification work, but once done they worked really well with my 28mm pirate figures. You can see my ships in the gallery section of my website (scroll down the middle column of photo galleries/5 galleries down). My Pirate Gallery is identified by name and a picture (click on the Pirate Gallery picture and scroll down to the second half of the Pirate Gallery... 76 pictures in that gallery). My website address is www.warin15mm.com
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For my 28mm pirate collection I went with repurposed toy ships that were originally marketed with the release of the different Pirates of the Caribbean films ( 2 versions of the Black Pearl and one of the Queen Anne's Revenge). I got mine at the swap meet/broken or discarded toys. Most required a bit of repair and modification work, but once done they worked really well with my 28mm pirate figures. You can see my ships in the gallery section of my website (scroll down the middle column of photo galleries/5 galleries down). My Pirate Gallery is identified by name and a picture (click on the Pirate Gallery picture and scroll down to the second half of the Pirate Gallery... 76 pictures in that gallery). My website address is www.warin15mm.com
On an unrelated note, where did you get those spanish galleons in 15mm for your Aztec project?
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The ships in my 15mm Aztec collection are Revell models... the Santa Maria. I cut the hulls so they would sit flat on the water.
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Sir Theo, I just noticed that the last of the sailing ship on cianty's photo listing is one of the Black Pearls in my collection. I believe Disney made two versions of the Black Pearl that can be repurposed to work with 28mm. The one that cianty shows was marketed with the first or second Pirates of the Caribbean film. The second version of the Black Pearl, which I also have and is shown in my gallery was marketed with the third Pirates of the Caribbean film, and the Queen Anne's Revenge which is a very large ship, but still works with 28s if the deck is raised was marketed with the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film. They are really outstanding ships.
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Sir Theo,
I think it's fair to say that cainty's list is quite a honest and informed list.(which I found a really interesting read.) There's also some good advice bouncing around on here.
I'd proffer some additional food for thought.
you shouldn't just go for the prettiest or the most accurate. For me what's more important to consider is..
Budget,storage (length and more importantly height.), the number of thumbs you and the people you normally game with have.
In other words how clumsy are you and your opponents. Because there's nothing more snag, and knock worthy on a table than a sailing ship.
So ease of repair is always an issue for me.
I made these well over fifteen years ago,and all my kids have played with them,from about three or four years old.
They don't actually get used as gaming models much as even all this time they still get the Michael taken out of them down my local club.
As for the Russia-best galleon, its around $35(us). I've an order placed for the Dow,and a Junk.with p&p it came in around $26,($18 for the two boats) which worked out at £18 .For me that wasn't too much of a hit for a test purchase.
Mark.
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That's a bit rough that your ships get teased at the club. I think they look great and I'd be happy to use them in a game!
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No its a standing joke.
Everyone decided to do a pirate themed game. I knocked up some cardboard ships took the first two one weekend then the rest the following week. Third week the Gary Chalk plans came out in the Wargames illustrated. They're surprisingly similar.( problem solved in a similar way ) . So you can guess the kind of wind up they receive every time they're dusted off.
Mark.
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That's a very nice collection you have got there, Mark. Very cool ships and that water effect is pretty cool.
It is indeed important to make your ships robust. I think that is less a question of the model itself as all those resin models sit nicely on the table, but a question of how go about doing the masts, sails and rigging. I do occasionally hit against the main mast and cause an earthquake for the poor sailors. ::)
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Can anyone help with a source for obtaining the Village Green range of ships (formerly at Stronghold Miniatures)? Thanks in advance for your assistance and knowledge!
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My Group went through this same process some years ago and I plumped fro Minimi the price was one part but also the simplicity of the model made for a better gaming area. Some of the others are nicer as you mention.
Its been in a box for at least a couple of years so the sails dont look as good as they used to but you get the idea.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4656/39504663185_429705e1a5_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23bTJ3v)IMG_20180221_144904 (https://flic.kr/p/23bTJ3v) by Roger Castle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152172226@N06/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4675/40356894982_3e3b9253b5_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24ucCSb)IMG_20180221_144928 (https://flic.kr/p/24ucCSb) by Roger Castle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152172226@N06/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4747/40401321851_349a8a9b45_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24y8kqF)IMG_20180221_144947 (https://flic.kr/p/24y8kqF) by Roger Castle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152172226@N06/), on Flickr
At the risk of causing offence the Pirates are going on ebay very shortly, the ship I am unsure about, might be difficult to shift due to packaging and posting issues. Lets see.
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I hope I'm eventually proved wrong, but suspect that the Village Green vessels, and many other products produced by "Stronghold", in the UK, may now be lost forever.
I've tried inquiring about them off and on, for over 10+ years (probably more like 15+), without success, for their 15mm (old Peter Pig range of pirate ships) and 25mm/28mm pirate vessels, as well as their wonderful range of 1/600th scale, WWII Coastal Forces vessels as well. Others have too, to no avail.
Apparently, the proprietor suffered a health issue, and also other, domestic issues, which precluded his ability to continue to produce them, and many other products too, e.g. 15mm/25mm castles, figures in various scales, etc., etc..
I, and others suggested he consider subcontracting production to others, or selling the molds, but for whatever reason, that didn't work either.
So much great stuff has been lost, due to these events. I'd love to see some of them made available to gamers again, soon, since many were of such high quality.
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My Group went through this same process some years ago and I plumped fro Minimi the price was one part but also the simplicity of the model made for a better gaming area. Some of the others are nicer as you mention.
Its been in a box for at least a couple of years so the sails dont look as good as they used to but you get the idea.
Very nice ship! ;)
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I may be bias but i believe Firelock Games has the highest quality pirate ships available with superb detail and a really good price. You get everything you see in the pictures except the sails (includes cannons and carriages, string for rigging, rigging parts etc)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/28/13337_26_04_17_5_38_02.jpg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/31/13337-090318174539.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/31/13337-090318174644.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/31/13337-090318174719.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/31/13337-090318174805.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/31/13337-090318174838.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/31/13337-090318174908.jpeg)
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Nice as they are .
The price in the UK is a little too high for me to justify replacing my existing flotilla. It would cost over £140 for the two plus p&p with the UK stockists.
So I'll be sticking with the old dust gathers. I'm afraid.