Napoleonic naval diorama - Capture of La Franchise

[Thantsants]

Definitely will be modelling the wake - I need to build the water up so its more level with the lip of the base and then sculpt waves on the top.

Once I've got the ships painted and rigged I'll position them, fix them in place and sculpt more waves up to their hulls and model in the wake.

That's the plan anyway! 

What you see on the base is my practice run so far...

[psyberwyche]

My nerd tip for you is not to go overboard (get it  ) on the wake - a chap at a convention once looked at my 1:1200 ships, and explained to me at length why Napoleonic ships moved too slowly to leave a large wake... 

[Thantsants]

Haha - one of the reasons I don't normally go near historical stuff - no-one can tell me I've painted my orcs the wrong colour...

Apart from the old, old school brown orc brigade! 

How about putting some outboard motors on your ships to really annoy them! 

[Thantsants]

Another little update - finished painting the Minotaur! Just need to add ratlines, rigging and colours and ensigns.







Not sure Minotaur would have had the red colour scheme she sported at the battle of the Nile at the time of the capture of La Franchise but I want her to stand out from the other two British ships, who will be in the classic "baby puke" yellow.

Beginning to sweat a little - Dad's birthday is on the 29th... 

Thunderer and Albion have their base coat colours blocked in so I just need to highlight and ink them and so on.

Doesn't seem to take huge amounts of time to paint the ships up and the base should be fairly straight forward - there is the dreaded rigging to come however...

[Damas]

Gorgeous!    If this is a pressie for your dad, he will be well chuffed.

[Aaron]

Looking great! You inspired me to pull out my Langton Indefatigueable and finally slap some paint on it!

[Thantsants]

Cheers Damas - presented it yesterday to him and he was!

Good for you Aaron - they are rather satisfying to paint up. 

So finally got it done - would have liked to post a few more pics of it in progress as this is the Workbench, but sadly time was against me and every waking moment was spent beavering away with rigging and what-not.

I didn't get time to fit ensigns and colours so that is a job for next time I'm over at my parent's. Also greatly simplified the rigging, again because of the restriction imposed by the lack of time and my skill in this department! 

The sea looks a little pale in the pics but I think that was the light 0- in the flesh there are lots of nice ultramarine blues and hints of green. Didn't make much of the ships' wakes either - the colour settlled nicely in the recesses of the waves leaving the tops whitish so I left it at that...











Thanks again for all the fantastic advice - much appreciated! 

Now off to paint some nice big, chunky 28mm fantasy stuff - for me! 

[Damas]

Wonderful finish!

Things done as gifts always get that bit more passion that your standard gaming figs.  (I just wish the wife wanted some 28mm zombies for Valentines.  )

[Aaron]

Great results! I've thought about doing something similar with mine for a while, but I still labor under the illusion that I will one day game with them. 

[Thantsants]

Cheers fellas - I was a little sad to leave them behind with my Dad I must admit! 

The thought of taking up naval gaming also crossed my mind - how soon one forgets the pain that went into putting these little beauties together! 

[OSHIROmodels]

Splendid result and I think the rigging looks fine    I think if you had of made it all the ships might have looked a little too crowded 

Great stuff 

cheers

James

[Thantsants]

I think if you had of made it all the ships might have looked a little too crowded

Yep - totally what I was thinking... 

Cheers James!