Pirate ships project

[Sangennaru]

waiting for some painted pic! ^^

loosk really promising for now!

[Flynn]

I painted the pirates who are destined to be the sloop's crew last night.  here they are facing the redcoats who are only primed:

[Flynn]

I have finished the sloop hull and added some details.  Next I'll work on the rigging:

[Flynn]

Dealt with the problem of miniatures falling over.  I just created a bunch of bases and based the redcoats, as well as did some research on how to paint them.

[Flynn]

Painted up another three pirates.  I was much happier with how these came out painted- got some drybrushing tips.

[Flynn]

For the larger ship, I replaced the deck, which had the grain running the wrong way.  Then I detailed the planks on the deck.  Now I am trying to figure out how exactly to attach the bowsprit before final gluing of the hull.

[Flynn]

Mounted the two masts, but still figuring out how to make the bowsprit removable.  I'm also working on a removable deck grating.

[Flynn]

I finished the hatch assembly:  it will be removable.  Then I decided that drilling the holes for the foremast-step would work better when the hull was assembled, so I've done that and the glue is setting:

[Axtklinge]

Its looking great!
Please keep us posted!

[Flynn]

Thanks for the encouragement!  Progress is happening, but it wasn't quite at the point where I was ready with another picture.  I have the bowsprit and prow on the big ship.  I painted three more pirates (I'll post picture when the final two of that particular crew are finished).  I was nervous about using cardboard for the sides of the big ship instead of the cherry, so I am nearly finished a test project.  Yesterday I went to Huzzah, a wargaming con in Portland ME and I saw some exapmles and got some tips.  There were some small ships (as well as lots of other cool stuff not directly relevant to this project) made according to the Major General's template using cards for the sides, and when I came home I turned out three ships of that pattern that same night.  

The cardboard was much simpler to work with and goes together so much easier, but it really sucked up the paint and didn't look that good painted.  So I'm still conflicted about how to finish the sides of the big ship.  Maybe I'm using the wrong paint on the cardboard?  I used the same paint I'm using on the miniatures:  water-based acrylic.  Should I be using a different paint?

[Flynn]

OK, the fleet is starting to take shape nicely, with the addition of the three somple sloops I turned out thanks to some advice from an old-timer at Huzzah and the Major General's dhow template:

I'm going to have to put some thought into the overall table, number of players, and scenario to guide the overal strategy of my building.

[Bayushiseni]

As they are going to fight in a confined top - the ships decks - I urge you to change the bases from square to round and make them as little as you can. Had the same problem some time ago.

I love the boats.

Storing space - that's always my problem.
And my wife gives me a lot of rope. - I use 3/4 of our home storing capabilities...

[gamer Mac]

As they are going to fight in a confined top - the ships decks - I urge you to change the bases from square to round and make them as little as you can. Had the same problem some time ago.

I love the boats.

Storing space - that's always my problem.
And my wife gives me a lot of rope. - I use 3/4 of our home storing capabilities...

I went for square bases on my pirates to allow them to fit in better on my ships.

[Flynn]

Thanks for the advice and comments!  I have made the bases as small as I can get away with.  They're only 3/4" instead of the standard 1", and I think their effective footprint is smaller than a 1" round one.  However thanks to your recomendation I'll experiment with a penny or washer as a base and see if that is stable enough. 

Yesterday I put on the topmasts and fighting tops, and am very pleased with how those turned out.  Then I cut out new, card sides.  I recieved some bits that I'd ordered from a model boat supply store, but I was dissapointed in what I got.  The cannon, capstain and crow's nest are fine, but I did not like the pumps and gunports which I ended up with.  Actually I can't figure out how to put the pumps together yet.  And the gunports just plain don't work well. 

[Flynn]

OK, finished cuting out all the remaining card pieces last night.  Secured new supply of paint (the sloops used up all that I had of the relevant colors).