Yesterday's blog entry seems to have generated a few comments ... and made me realise how many model ship plans with wargaming potential I had in my archive.
Now for many years I have wanted to stage a Pacific War island-hopping game, but never thought that it was possible ... but I now realise that I have plans of several of the ships that I would need (an Escort Carrier, a couple of US Navy Destroyers, and a PCE [Patrol Craft Escort]) as well a plans of other warships that I could adapt.
I also have a possible time and location where the lawn is big enough to stage such a large-scale naval wargame.
Now what I don't need at the moment is yet another project ... but building a couple of prototypes might not be a bad idea. I have the necessary wood in my modelling store, and it should only take a few hours to 'knock up' something that I can use ...
Oh dear! Perhaps I should never have bought that magazine ...
Now for many years I have wanted to stage a Pacific War island-hopping game, but never thought that it was possible ... but I now realise that I have plans of several of the ships that I would need (an Escort Carrier, a couple of US Navy Destroyers, and a PCE [Patrol Craft Escort]) as well a plans of other warships that I could adapt.
I also have a possible time and location where the lawn is big enough to stage such a large-scale naval wargame.
Now what I don't need at the moment is yet another project ... but building a couple of prototypes might not be a bad idea. I have the necessary wood in my modelling store, and it should only take a few hours to 'knock up' something that I can use ...
Oh dear! Perhaps I should never have bought that magazine ...
Model Boats had earlier this year another plan for a Destroyer by Glynn Guest, the USS Ripley. I also have his plans for a German destroyer. I just wish he made more Axis ship plans.
ReplyDeleteI also have an old copy of Practical Wargamer that has an article of someone who has build countries throughout his yard, and I believe his lawn areas represent the sea. I dream of doing that, but my wife and dog wouldn't approve.
Jhnptrqn,
ReplyDeleteI missed both those sets of plans ... but now I know that they exist I will look out for the back issues they were in, and see if I can order them.
I think that the man who ran wargames in his back garden was called John Ruddle, and that he is/was a member of the BMSS (British Model Soldier Society). The idea appeals to me as well ... but the 1 in 10 slope of my current garden makes it somewhat difficult to do!
All the best,
Bob
Jhnptrqn,
ReplyDeleteI have just checked, and the chap who ran wargames in his garden was John Ruddle. (See here and here for some pictures of his wargames setup.)
All the best,
Bob
Unfortunately the German Destroyer plan was in a Model Boat from the 70's (I found a large collection of old Model Boats in a used bookstore). I do believe the plans are still available on the Model Boats website. The old Model Boats also had a section called Fleets in Miniature which gave diagrams of 20th century warships in I believe 1/1200 scale; great for wargaming.
ReplyDeleteJohn Ruddle is who I was thinking of. I just wish there was more on his little world.
Jhnptrqn,
ReplyDeleteI paid a visit to the magazines website ... and found that the price of the plans when bought separate from the magazine was nearly £10.00!
I have some more photos of John Ruddle's garden wargames somewhere. If I find them I might write a blog entry about them.
All the best,
Bob