Update 1 (pictures added) to First pirate ship conversion and first game

[Widows Son]

I would like to start by thanking all those fellow LAF-ers whose posts on here provided inspiration and guidance for this project; there is some really great work out there, and whilst mine is not up to their standards, I am nevertheless happy with it for a first attempt (and I shall continue to make improvements to it over time).  As per the title, I aim to give a short overview of the project, followed by a brief AAR of our first game.

This project started about 15 years ago when I purchased a Foundry Pirate Collection; over the years I would paint a few figures every now and then, but the poor old pirates always seemed to get queue-jumped by newer interests, and so progress was slow.  The trigger to bring this project to the front of the queue was me finishing the final series of Black Sails, with all the fabulous landings and battles that occurred.  Of course pirates need a ship, and I was fortunate to see one in a charity shop window for £3.50 that appeared to be right for size (it was, as it turned out).  Please see the picture below of the SpongeBob SquarePants ship:

[Poiter50]

Umm, no pic?

[Widows Son]

I removed the shields from the sides and gave the ship a good wash in warm soapy water and the clean water, to get rid of any grease, and then sprayed it with a black undercoat.  From there it was a brown spray for the inside, followed by a dark brown wash to bring out the deck planking:

[Widows Son]

Next step was a brown paint followed by some dry-brush highlighting.  I wanted the figures to stand out clearly on the deck when it was on the table:

[Widows Son]

Here are a couple of the Foundry pirates… as you can see, the size is just right:

[Widows Son]

Whilst finishing the first ship, I bought a Playmobil one as a next conversion project from Ebay, and it came with a small rowing boat that I decided to convert as well.  Here is a pic of the work in progress, showing the planking that will cover the bottom of the boat.  There is a picture of the finished boat to come:

[Widows Son]

And here is a picture of the finished(-ish) ship ready for its first game.  The sails are made out of model canvas and the rope from waxed thread - all found on Ebay.  A special mention of thanks goes to my chum Larry for making the gun ports for me - thanks pal!

[Widows Son]

Here is a closer view.  I replaced the wheel using one from Games of War and added a few other items to the deck:

[Widows Son]

And so to the game.  We used a mix of figures that I have painted and some that I have bought, and my good chum Clive lent some of his figures too (thanks pal!).  I intend to rebase them all to achieve better visual harmony, and to not have any with grass on their bases, as I do not like the way they look when on board ship.

The rules were a homegrown adaptation of various sets from Dan Mersey of the 'Lion / Dragon Rampant, TMWWBKs, and Pikemans Lament' stable of rules.  We felt that they worked very well, with plenty of characterful additions to the rules, for example bringing out the fierceness and toughness of those pirates that were members of the Vanguard.

The scenario was a raid on a slavers town (an old former Spanish place) on the coast of West Africa.  The story was that the well-liked Quartermaster had gone ashore to recce the place ahead of a possible raid, but had been recognised in an inn, and had been thrown in jail pending trial by the Governor, who was currently out of town.  The crew were keen to rescue the Quartermaster and to wreak havoc on the town, and hence an early morning raid was underway…

This is a view of the table at the end - please excuse all the detritus on the table!  The jail is at the bottom left, the army barracks next to it to the right, and the Governors house above it.  There is an old and run-down fort and a number of jetties to which the pirates would have to row to, as the ship could not get in too close:

[Widows Son]

The raiding parties setting off for shore in the dawn light:

[Widows Son]

Ned 'Diamond Geezer' Lowe leads his men up the steps of the old fort…  At this point the pirates did not know if the first was manned, or not.  As they went up the steps Ned paused as he thought he heard a noise (failed the unit activation test), meanwhile the slaver gunners were waking up and starting to make the morning chai:

[Widows Son]

…rounding the corner at the top of the fort Ned sees the gunners and leads a charge to cut them down,  but before the deadly melee, the gunners manage to fire the cannon and alert the town!   

[Widows Son]

Ned gives orders for the gun to be turned around and dragged over to the other side of the fort, thus dominating the town and the Governors residence.  While this was happening, other parties had landed and were being engaged by local mounted militia (which they drove off with just one volley!) and a unit of tough soldiers:

[Widows Son]

This picture shows the fight around the barracks.  This was a 'battle of the giants' with a unit of Vanguard facing off against the veteran soldiers.  The Vanguard drove the soldiers from the barracks with a smoke grenade and eventually the soldiers were cut down by musket fire and retreated:

[Malamute]

Lovely looking game