INWarD V - 6th August - Warning Order

D'you hear there? This is advance warning that the 5th International Naval Wargaming Day, INWarD V, takes place on August 6th 2021, and with a weekend following on just behind that means its an International Naval Wargaming Weekend :)

INWarD is the day when naval wargamers all around the world celebrate the birth of Fred T Jane, father of naval wargaming, with games around the world - hopefully F2F where the present crisis allows. So get your thinking caps on, look to run a game or two on the day or over the weekend, recruit and convert a few of your land-based wargaming chums and post your BATREPs here, on your blog, your favourite wargaming website and elsewhere.

Those Who Seek Death (2)

 I'm a bit behind with my blogging just now for various reasons, so here is the first "catchup". I've finished my first fleets for "Those Who Seek Death" so I can at last get rid of the cardboard counters that I've used for the last year or so and play with some decent models :)

These are all 3D printed models in 1/2400 and are enough to give me 2 or three squadrons of "regular" ships with Ataka Bune for the Japanese and Panokseon for the Korean fleets plus four "great ships" - the rules treat large warships such as the O Atake Bune and special ships such as the Geobukseon in distinct ways. 

I also made up three stands of Junks to represent transports or civilian shipping, these might also form the kernel of some Chinese fleets in the future.

Now that I have these sorted I'm looking at another "print run" in a week or two that will just about double the number of Panokseon stands that I have, and will also introduce an earlier variety of Ataka Bune and the smaller Seki Bune.

"Those Who Seek Death......."

 Latest models out of the paint shop - a set of "proof of principle" bases representing Korean and Japanese ships for my Asian fleet action rules, "Those Who Seek Death" which are coming soon. I did all my playtesting with cardboard counters so its nice to have some 3d models now to use instead. The models are 3D prints scaled at around 1/2400 (but they may well be commercially available soon as part of MT Miniatures' 1/1200 range)

Anyway, I'm happy with these so I'll print up enough models to do another couple of dozen bases the next time I'm able. 

Mad Wet Max - Jet Skis

 Its been a while since I did anything new for "Mad Wet Max", but last weekend some kind soul posted a set of 3d files for boats and jetskis in the Facebook "Gaslands" group. Jetskis are something I've been wanting to add for a while so the files were downloaded and a set printed off over the weekend. Painting is just done. Now all I need is to work up some rules for them :)

More Galleys

 I had a rush of blood to the head last week and knocked up some Phoenician galleys in 1/2400 for use with my "Mare Nostrum" fleet action rules. The models were based on the extensive series I created for Salamis. I made three variants of bases so as to give myself some variation. 

Apologies for the shonky photo quality :)

I've also managed to get the settings on my Elegoo printer just about right for these. Printing on my old Photon flat on the build plate used to result in vertically compressed models, but these have come out just right. I've also added a few tricks to make the models more resilient which I hope will sand them in good stead.

I also made up some files for pentekonters, but alas ran out of printing time so they'll have to wait

Kia Ora, Muddyfunsters!

 I've said it before, I'll say it again, but one of the joys for me of having a 3D printer is that I can make up cool weird stuff . This latest collection in 15mm was kicked off because I liked the look of Mike Bergman's New Zealand pattern carrier on Thingiverse, and grew at a rapid pace to create a New Zealand force for a hypothetical "Invasion of New Zealand" campaign. The back story I've thrown together justifies a variety of unusual vehicles on the basis of "I like that and I want to have the opportunity to stick it on a wargames table" so we have things like the Schofield Tank (I have a Bob Semple as well somewhere), Australian SP mortars and 2pdrs on carrier chassis, a variety of Marmon Herrington armoured cars, 2pdr ATGs and Austin Tilly cars and pickups which will take the place of jeeps. Not to mention NZ pattern carriers both tracked and wheeled.

Their Japanese opponents are all done, at least the vehicles are. All I need to do now is paint up all the XIV Army / ANZAC and Japanese figures that I bought at Salute about 15 years ago :) 

NKL-16s finished

 My latest aerosan models are finished. The NKL-16 came out well I think and a couple have been finished in Soviet livery. I'm thinking I'll be printing some more of these and some of the smaller NKL-26s next time I'm able so that I can build a small Finnish force as well. 

For those that might want to print their own I've put these and other models up on Wargaming3D:

NKL-16 Aerosan 15mm / 1:100 - Wargaming3D

Kabunza Shipyard Archives - Wargaming3D

Now that I've got these done I've been challenged to make a model of the 02SS aerosan "tank", which should be an interesting project:

And also the smaller GAZ-98 (which looks like a LOT of fun!)

Alas today I also demonstrated to myself the fragility of these resin models as one of the NKL-26s took a tumble and literally exploded into pieces. I've managed to salvage two skis but the rest of the model was trashed. So I think I'll also be mounting them on some bases to give them added protection.