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Monday 19 March 2012

On the horns of a dilemma

I really do not know what to do.

I have really ‘got the bug’ with regard to building largish ‘cartoon’ model ships that will work with my tabletop figure games, and have so far completed two – and have a third in the final stages of being painted. What I should do next is to build some ironclads/pre-dreadnought warships that I can use with my 15mm-scale Colonial figures. However, reading Hector Bywater’s THE GREAT PACIFIC WAR has re-awakened an interest in fighting a combined naval/land campaign ... and this would be an ideal opportunity/inducement for me to build some largish ‘cartoon’ model warships for both sides. Furthermore, these model ships could be used for a lawn/floor game at a future COW (Conference of Wargamers).

I know that I could – in theory – do both … but if I do, which should I start first?

Until I can answer that question, I am not going to start either project.

Note 1: I actually sat down this morning to begin work on an ironclads/pre-dreadnought … but as I was assembling the main parts of the hull I kept thinking that it would make quite a good landing craft.

Note 2: David Crook has contacted me with a very good idea that would enable me to do both projects ... but I am still not sure which to start first.

Note 3: The Japanese battleships of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s already have a 'cartoonish' look to them ... and it would not take much effort to adapt my existing methods to reproduce some generic Japanese-style warships.

12 comments:

  1. Bob

    I think you should first do what you enjoy the least (so you've got the fun project to look forward to).

    For example, I've got all my 6mm Japanese samurai army ready to be painted - but I have to paint up some more 28mm figures to sell on e-Bay. I'd rather start the samurai but the 28mm will be funding the Japanese and ACW armies I'm building, so they need to come first.

    Then comes the fun bit. Banzai!

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  2. Bob,

    Having a good book to drive the thought process is the determiner in my mind. Go with the campaign set in the interwar years and do the pre-Dreds latter on. You can only scratch one itch at a time.

    Don

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  3. Bob
    We both know that you'll end up doing it all, so do a bit at a time of whatever appeals on a given day. On the other hand, that approach explains why I never get anything finished!

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  4. I am a great fan of the Pre-Dreadnought period. The ships are neat and quirky . . . and they are rather colorful too . . . not all grey.

    That being said, follow your heart and work on whichever project fires you the most . . . which sounds like the inter-war project.

    Keep in mind the fact that as long as you can't decide, NEITHER will happen.


    -- Jeff

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  5. Hi Bob,

    I have to go with Jeff followed by Tim on this one....;-)

    Another email to follow and a blog post as well which will help (or hinder!) the thought process!

    All the best,

    DC

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  6. Phil Broeders,

    The problem is that I will enjoy both projects for different reasons.

    That said, David Crook has suggested a plan that would help solve the problem regarding the ironclads/pre-dreadnoughts ... so I suspect that I will end up going for the inter-war project first.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Brigadier Dundas (Don),

    You are quite right ... and it is a book that I am enjoying reading, hence the feeling that I want to game it!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. Tim Gow,

    You know me too well!

    I must admit that whichever of the two projects I choose to do first, there is very likely to be a COW session evolving from it.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  9. Sit down with a piece of paper and write a minimum requirement for a game, a specific game with specific requirements.

    Make sufficient ships or what have you for that game.

    Play the game.

    Rinse - wash - repeat.

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  10. Bluebear Jeff,

    What you say is true ... and I am very likely to make my decision tonight so that I can get started.

    I must admit that I also like the colourful look of the Victorian ships ... but grey can also have a sinister beauty all of its own.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  11. David Crook,

    I hope that your forthcoming email and blog entry will help and not hinder my thinking!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  12. Conrad Kinch,

    Wise words. The only problem is that the list for both projects looks very similar.

    All the best,

    Bob

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