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Miniatures Adventure => The Great War => Topic started by: Bezzo on 20 May 2011, 10:25:53 AM

Title: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: Bezzo on 20 May 2011, 10:25:53 AM
More of Richard Houston's fine models on the TVAG website. Some WW1 4 stackers. Scroll down to Houston's Ships on left margin.

www.thevirtualarmchairgeneral.com/360-krisflame.html (http://www.thevirtualarmchairgeneral.com/360-krisflame.html)
Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: The Breaker on 01 June 2011, 01:08:58 PM
They're pretty expensive.
Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 01 June 2011, 01:47:24 PM
I like the general execution (clean lines and build quality, and all that), but the designs are a bit too clunky for my taste, even taking wargaming necessities into consideration. Also, you *could* question the practicability of having a destroyer or similarly large vessel on a 28mm table. But then again, *I* should be the very last one to question anybody's sanity on that matter. lol

His junks and gunboats are better, IMHO. Still expensive, although I would not consider them unfairly priced, as I am certain quite some work hours and workmanship go into them.
Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 01 June 2011, 02:01:25 PM
Chris
Remember that carrier Akula built - several metres long. Now that was big! I think as something like the Campbelltown raid on St Nazaire one of those destroyers would actually be okay

Guess I just like ship models a lot.

Don't get me wrong, I think they are quite nice, and not unreasonably priced for those who like the designs. But I myself just don't like how top-heavy they look, the clunky bridges being a particular nitpick of mine - although it is always a big tradeoff. I usually go for the nice look option rather than being able to cram a command crew into the space.

Compare them to the sloops by HLBSC shown in another thread yesterday. Those are great, although again, somebody asked if you could fit figures onto it. In that case, I would not use them with single-based figures, but would prefer a modelled crew and use them as "vehicle models". You don't usually use single-based figures with tanks or armoured cars, either.
Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 01 June 2011, 04:05:12 PM
Where was the thread Chris? a couple of quick searches yielded nothing. I'd love to see them, I usually like all HLBSC stuff.

Hah! Found it, hidden away in the Bazar of Obscurities:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=29838.0
Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: Johnnytodd on 01 June 2011, 10:58:55 PM
These are OK and probably a good value if you just want to buy a boat but I like to encourage people to build their own.  You can really create a center piece to your whole miniature collection. I'm more interested in building to scale so I chose a reasonable size boat in a WW2 Vosper torpedo boat.  I considered building a 28mm scale destroyer but it would be too big at about 1.5 meters!   This was scratch built from thin plywood and bits of scrap wood and metal:

  (http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac297/grendels_father/vosp1-1.jpg)

Here is a link to someone who takes it very seriously:

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/pommern/

And here are some plans you could work from to build your own:

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/index.php?cat=4

Its really not that hard to build something excellent with just some basic tools.

John

Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: Westfalia Chris on 01 June 2011, 11:51:46 PM
This was scratch built from thin plywood and bits of scrap wood and metal:

  (http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac297/grendels_father/vosp1-1.jpg)

That one's ace, JT. It matches the shape and proportions, and has enough details to look interesting but not cluttered or frail.
Title: Re: American WW1 Destroyers
Post by: warrenpeace on 10 June 2011, 09:08:32 PM
 ;) Well, there are those who think a big ship on the table is a grand thing, even if it is the most dominant terrain feature in a 28mm scenario. This one is used by the League of Extraordinary Kriegspielers:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh164/defoix/131CradleofLifeSuez.jpg