Tuesday 8 February 2011

Plans (NOT) Surviving First Contact with the Enemy....

And so it was. I had planned to complete the first batch of 24 models in the ACW naval collection and then paint them prior to building the last group of vessels. After a weekend of consideration this idea has now gone out of the window. I have drawn up a list of the models are want to build in order to complete the project and it involves only another 15 ships. This sounds a lot but when you consider that most of these are variations of those that I have built thus far you can see the sense behind the decision. At the time of writing I have a further 6 side wheel steamers under construction - soon to be 8 when I have cut the hulls out - that lend themselves to production line building. These are four groups of two so will differ from what I have built already and will enhance the collection no end. Finishing the remaining models makes better sense in my opinion if only because it means that the painting can then be tackled in batches of similar vessels e.g. all the casemates, all the rams etc.



I have only two large vessels to build for the Union - USS Tuscumbia and USS Chilicothe - and another pair of casemate ironclads for the Confederates so the rest of the numbers are made up of rams and gunboats of various types. I have also, in the meantime, made a lot of progress with the rules I shall be using which, although designed as a fast play set, feature a level of detail I do not usually employ for my naval rules.



More to follow....

2 comments:

SteelonSand said...

This project is turning into a Monster! Even if it is a rather interesting Monster that we all would most definitely like to see more of....bring 'em on, I say!

David Crook said...

Hi SoS,

I originally planned on around three dozen models being needed for this project so size-wise it is on track. The only downside is that I am now thinking about the Gulf end of the action which will mean more ships - especially those with masts and spars. Oh and monitors....lots of monitors!

Once the River end of the project is built I will need to tackle some land troops to go with and your current crop of 3mm reviews has had me drooling over the keyboard!

For the record, there is little point in having a project unless it is a Monster - the trick is to make sure you don't get eaten in the process!

All the best,

DC