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Miniatures Adventure => Age of the Big Battalions => Topic started by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 07:46:30 AM

Title: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 07:46:30 AM
As per headline; do the rules play well and fast, are they easy to pick up, do they cater for fun games with only a few ships (or one-on-one), too?

Warhammer Historical has a sale, and I might want to get Gladiator and Trafalgar, if Trafalgar doesn't get sunk by criticism here  ;)

So, please, give me your input!  :)
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Engel on 29 November 2011, 08:18:50 AM
I have only played a couple of games but I like it.
Im guessing its not totally historical correct all the time but you get the right feeling. I have no naval rules to compare it with so I guess there are both better and worst rule sets out there.
The rules themselves are pretty easy to understand and you get a grip on them fairly quick.
I haven’t played enough games to master the rules yet unfortunately.

A couple of month ago I wrote an battle report, maybe it can help you a little to make up your mind.
http://kampgruppe-engel.blogspot.com/search/label/Trafalgar

The ships I bought are from Skytrex and to get a “starting army” is dirt cheap.
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 08:28:35 AM
Thaks!

Are those ships the 1/1200th ones? I am almost convinced to go shopping...  ;D
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Engel on 29 November 2011, 09:00:44 AM
Yeah, thats right.
http://skytrex.com/381/11200th-napoleonic-action-under-sail-1756--1815/



Here are some more good links.

http://www.warhammer-historical.com/Articles/Trafrep/Trafbattle.html

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212141



http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/432833/warhammer-historical-trafalgar-overview


http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?80245-Tall-Ships

http://www.thedearsurprise.com/?p=546


 :D :D :D
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 09:16:39 AM
Just ordered. Now I'll have to read the rules before deciding which ships to start with.  :)
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Lowtardog on 29 November 2011, 11:52:13 AM
Just ordered. Now I'll have to read the rules before deciding which ships to start with.  :)

I must surely be a Danish fleet :D
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 11:58:22 AM
I must surely be a Danish fleet :D

Well, only two specific ships available from the above mentioned vendor, but maybe, if I can find some more - or figure out what British ships were formerly Danish (up to 1807).
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Engel on 29 November 2011, 12:10:17 PM
At this scale I cant see that it would make such a difference if the miniature maker calls it a Dutch, British or Danish ship.. And you have to consider that it happened more than once that a captured ship was turned against its former owner.
Just get another flag and your good to go.. ;)
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 01:37:39 PM
Yeah, I know. I just struck me as quite funny, that you can get named models at this scale, so I had to go button-counting on it  lol
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Anatoli on 29 November 2011, 01:44:31 PM
West Wind have some 2 packs of ships, which have some 4 different "classes" represented in them.
http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/catalog/index.php?infoBox=1&cPath=191

Been figuring to try it out as it wouldn't be that expensive, but as so often happens no one else in the group is interested.....
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Lowtardog on 29 November 2011, 01:51:06 PM
West Wind have some 2 packs of ships, which have some 4 different "classes" represented in them.
http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/catalog/index.php?infoBox=1&cPath=191

Been figuring to try it out as it wouldn't be that expensive, but as so often happens no one else in the group is interested.....

I picked up the French/Spanish fleet its 1/3000 and not a lot of difference in size between ships at this scale, to be honest they could be any nationality. The bases have french or English flags etched in them

Kiss me Hardy is anothe ralternative should you have a hankering
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 01:55:43 PM
Hmmm.... Now I'm dumbstruck as to which scale to use...  o_o
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 29 November 2011, 01:59:18 PM
So, Kiss Me Hardy is another ruleset?
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Lowtardog on 29 November 2011, 03:39:17 PM
So, Kiss Me Hardy is another ruleset?

Yes by Two Fat Lardies, nice and easy to pick up and play
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: icedcanid on 30 November 2011, 06:32:37 AM
Yes you can tell the difference in nationalities at 1:1200 scale. For example a French 74 looks very different to a British 74 especially with Langtons which are brilliant. Trafalgar gives a good fun game as does Kiss Me Hardy. KMH doesn't take itself as seriously but the painting and rigging guide in Trafalgar is a bonus.
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: carlos marighela on 30 November 2011, 06:59:51 AM
No idea about the rules but if you want to get into a system at little cost, whilst getting some pretty models, I'd recommend looking at the Hallmark 1/2400 range. Sure they are nowhere near as detailed as a GHQ or a Langton masterpiece but then you can actually field a squadron or a fleet without spending months rigging the buggers. I had  quite a number of 1/1200 sailing ships and whilst they are beautiful models, if I was doing this again I'd go the Hallmark route.

http://www.navigatorminiatures.com/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=186&strPageHistory=cat

Besides if you fancy a Danish fleet, then it seems silly to waste all that time building, painting, rigging and basing them all so that the Royal Navy can capture or sink them all inside of an hour.  :)

Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Argonor on 30 November 2011, 07:18:09 AM
Actually, in 1801 the British did not sink and capture the Danish fleet - and only half of the fleet was committed to the battle - whereas in 1807 - at a time when Denmark was neutral, Britain invaded, laid siege to Copenhagen, and in the aftermath sailed off with the fleet (so, not a consequence of a naval battle). This heinous act drove Denmark into an alliance with Napoleon, and, in the end, cost us Norway, as Denmark did not, like for instance Bernadotte in Sweden, act as a turncoat in 1813 (for which he got Norway).

My point is, had Nelson faced a fully prepared Danish fleet (which was, as I recall it, almost as big as the British) in 1801, there might not have been a Trafalgar 4 years later.
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: icedcanid on 30 November 2011, 07:23:04 AM
Quote
without spending months rigging the buggers
doesn't take that much time unless you want to do the whole running rigging routing and while it looks brilliant sends you barmy. If you just go for the standing rigging as described in Trafalgar you can do a couple of ships per night without too much trouble.
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: carlos marighela on 30 November 2011, 08:45:34 AM
Nevermind the passage of time has healed all wounds. Not that long ago, Australia, Britain's most loyal dominion, gifted your royal family one of our estate agents, an act of mutual benefit to both parties.  ;)
Title: Re: Is Trafalgar good?
Post by: Lowtardog on 30 November 2011, 09:19:14 AM
No idea about the rules but if you want to get into a system at little cost, whilst getting some pretty models, I'd recommend looking at the Hallmark 1/2400 range. Sure they are nowhere near as detailed as a GHQ or a Langton masterpiece but then you can actually field a squadron or a fleet without spending months rigging the buggers. I had  quite a number of 1/1200 sailing ships and whilst they are beautiful models, if I was doing this again I'd go the Hallmark route.

http://www.navigatorminiatures.com/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=186&strPageHistory=cat



I agree minimum outlay for a dozen ships for each fleet at £30 or the Westwind ones as they can be split is a good idea, then if you really are taken move onto bigger ships with all the fancy gubbins :D