AHPC WW2 Italian Destroyers

 

It's been a week since my last post and all I've got to show for myself is these four little ships worth a whopping 8 points.   These are 4 1/2400 scale Italian destroyers and torpedo boats for my WW2 naval project.  The original plan here was to model all of the ships that took part in the actions over a 6 month period from destroyers up.  We'll see how far I get with this plan but at least I'm getting a good variety of escort vessels for a decent campaign.

Closest to the camera are two GHQ models of the Soldati class Aviere (aviator) and the Poeti class Alfredo Oriani.  Both models are sold as Soldati class but the Soldati were only slightly different from the preceding Poeti class.  Leave it to the Italians to name one class of ships after poets and then name the lead ship of the next class after the Blackshirts!  Both of these ships were heavily engaged in the convoy battles.

Now we have the Spica class torpedo boats (or destroyer escorts) Aretusa and Cigno.  These are CinC models.  With both navies mining classical mythology for ship names its not surprising that there could be both an Aretusa and HMS Arethusa on table.  At least it's not Trafalgar with two Neptunes plus a Neptuno!  

So that is 4 hulls at 2 points each for a grand total of 8 points for my overall totals and my Naval Side Duel total.  I think I need another 25 hulls or so to catch Adam assuming he stands still for a while.  Don't hold your breath on that happening.

AHPC WW2 K Class Destroyers

 

On my dungeon crawl I used two Lumberjills to transport me back to the Aquifer so that I could take the water route to level 2.  I'm not sure if it's required but here's a naval themed post to mark my second trip to the Aquifer.  I have 4 1/2400 models for my ongoing WW2 Naval project - three British K class destroyers and another dummy radar blip in greyscale.  The K class models are GHQ and the other is by CinC.

Group Sot.  Still working out how to use my lightbox so not the best photo.

HMS Kelvin, Kimberley and Kipling (the K class had the most Victorian Imperial names possible)were all heavily engaged in the Med all served in the Med.  Kipling was sunk by the Luftwaffe off Mersa Matruh in May 1942 but the other two were the sole survivors (of a class of 8) on VJ Day.  I picked up a copy of Mal Wright's book on WW2 British Destroyer Camouflage and had some fun putting some of the patterns on 1/2400 models. 

I couldn't find a mid war pattern for HMS Kelvin so used a typical Med pattern based on that worn by HMS Javelin.  These close ups show the fine detail on these 1/2400 scale models, which come up nicely with some washes and dry brushing.

HMS Kimberley sports a 1940 era pattern.  Mal notes that this was unofficial and created by the crew using what ever paints were available in the lockers.

HMS Kipling wears a 1942 Admiralty scheme with a typical mix of colours.

CinC sold this as a L class AA destroyer which it most certainly isn't.  So it's become another  radar blip.

As I get ready to post I've noted that I need to go back and add Pennant numbers on the hulls.  (G37 for Kelvin, G50 for Kimberley and G91 for Kipling).  In past posts people seem to like my basing so I thought I'd share my recipe.  I should note that it carries by batch of ships and also I use different base colours for different projects (i.e. a much greener tint for my Dutch Wars ships).

1. I base the ships prior to priming on 2mm pdf  60mm by 20mm in this case.  The corners are rounded for my own protection.
2. A base coat of ultramarine blue.  I think that the Med needs bright Azure tones even if it could often be an ugly grey.   I try to get close to the hull edges but would rather leave an outline of primed base than paint the hull blue and have to fix it up.
3. An overcoat of Payne's Grey thinned down so that the base coat shows through.  If one was being really correct you could paint bands of the deeper colour to indicate mid-Ocean rollers, but that's too much bother most times.
4. Typically I do the base edges in Payne's Grey at the same time as the overcoat.
5. Wave highlights using a mix of Payne's Grey (or ultramarine blue depending on what's on the palette) freehanded resemble bow waves, wake and Ocean waves.  Typically I'll use a mid blue mix followed by something close to white for the crests.  At this stage I try and fill in any gaps around the waterline left in step 2.
6. Glue the label down with PVA.  Labels are banged together in word using text boxes with  pictures inserted representing the naval ensigns.
7. Give the sea a coat of Acrylic Gloss medium to get a shine.  This can be unnerving at first as the medium goes on milky white but dries clear.

That's 4 hulls at 2 points a pop (compared to Adam's 30 points for one hull earlier today).  

AHPC Lumberjills

Another pair of Lumberjills from Bad Squiddo.  Lovely sculpts in 28mm they were a joy to pose and paint and very realistically done.  This is a three part casting, with the two lumberjills and the the log each being separate.  The hand of one Jill is cast on the saw and fits nicely into a socket on her arm so easily that even I couldn't mess it up. 

This set, like many of the figures in the range. is based on a wartime photo as shown below.  It's an obviously posed phot for propaganda purposes but the overall effect is good.  

 Points wise that's two 28mm figures for 10 points plus I believe 20 points for the Sorceress plus a teleportation back to the Aquifer please.

Painting Challenge WW2 Naval Ships

 

One half of Force K - HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope

This year I've been re-starting my WW2 Naval Plans that I put on the back burner about 6 years ago.  Next off of the work bench we have two British Cruisers and three Italian destroyers/torpedo boats.

By late 1941, the Royal Navy was running short on ships but had temporarily managed to get ahead in the Mediterranean.  By early 1942 the RN was thoroughly knocked for 6 and on the defensive everywhere, especially in the Med.   But for a short period, Force K composed of the small cruisers Aurora and Penelope and two destroyers ran the table against the Italians.

I've had fun researching camouflage patterns.  The cruisers of Force K used a rather natty two tone grey pattern with light upper works and dark hulls.

Inter-war naval treaties limited each Navy to a set tonnage of cruisers. For most Navies this emanate building as many big cruisers as possible within your cap, but for the RN and its Imperial responsibilities the number of cruisers was just as important.  The 4 Arethusa class cruisers were small with only room for 6 6" guns but did sterling service and were hard worked.  

HMS Aurora may have been the best shooting ship in the RN.  Penelope  was nicknamed  first HMS Pepperpot after a heavy bombing left her a lot of splinter holes, and then HMS Pocurpine after the holes were plugged with timbers that extended outside of her hull.

The cruisier models are both GHQ and I'd forgotten how fiddly these could be.

I also have three Italian escorts the Soldati class Alpino, the Freccia class Fulmine and the Spica class torpedo boat Calliope.  The first two are GHQ and the Calliope is CinC.

This ships will count towards my total in the Naval Side Duel as I inch along incrementally.  They will also give me a squirrel point in the Squirrel challenge once I amass a full 25 points for the WW2 project (currently I sit at 20 points).

Back again, Peter? So soon?

Those ships are rather spiffing. I'll go along with your suggested points (I'm sure they are based on scoring from previous Challenge years), so that's another 10 points for you.

Tamsin

AHPC Entry The Mimic

 

The blurb for the Pit and the Pendulum says "Something Terrifying" and in my own world I am constantly beset by vicious attack furniture.  As I quietly go about (ok noisily go about as I seem incapable of doing anything quietly) my daily business I run in constant danger of being impaled or bludgeon by seemingly innocent tables, chairs, door knobs, walls, bookcases, cabinets...the list of horrors goes on for ever.  You are not paranoid if the furniture is really out to get me...I swear it's got nothing to do with my own gross motor skills or level of distraction.

I am pretty sure that this is a Reaper Bones Mimic in 28mm.  It has a distinct Harry Potter or Muppet feel and was a lot of fun to paint.  It's also the first time I've ever painted a tongue on a mini.  Assuming that this meets the Terrifying criteria enough this nets me another 5 points for the mini and 20 for the Chamber.

*knock, knock*

"Ahhh, come in Victim #7, errmm, Peter."

Oh, yes, the mimic. I definitely think that counts as terrifying.

25 points it is.

Tamsin

Hidden Dangers

Another AHPC entry

 

Smaller English men-of-war carefully sail through shoal waters.

Having ben transported to the Hall of Traps, we need to take out our lead line and test the depths.  For a sailor hidden dangers means shoals and reef and that's what I have for the Hall of Traps.

The Anglo Dutch Wars were fought in the Thames Estuary and along the Dutch coast, waters with many shoals and sand bars and some serious tides.  Tactics and maneuvers were often limited or controlled by these features.  The Dutch ships had an advantage s their ships had shallower draught and could sail where the English could not.  

Admiralty Chart of the Thames Estuary.  For lubbers, yellow is land, white is deep water, blue is shallow water and green areas dry out at low tide. 

On the third day of the Three Days Battle, the English lost one of their biggest ships the 92 gun Prince Royal when she ran aground on Galloper Sand on a falling tide.  In normal times they would just wait for the tide to turn and float her off, but on this occasion she was acting as the rear guard for an English fleet in full retreat and had to surrender to the Dutch.  The Dutch got her off the sand but her rudder was damaged and they doubted they could sail her and so burnt her.

Prince Royal surrenders.

Shoal markers seemed to be a good idea for my Anglo-Dutch Was project, so I banged these four together fro spare pdf bases, paint and some traction sand for the front walk.  I have no idea on the points value but it can't be much.  Treating them as terrain gives me 4 pieces which are 2" by 1" in area and maybe 1/4" deep for a wapping 2 cubic inch in volume, or 0.925% of a Standard Terrain Unit 6" Cube.  I'll leave that to the Snowlord's discretion but whatever points it nets me will go towards my Naval Side Duel.

Lumberjill in 28mm

Last year you may remember that I had a bunch of Bad Squiddo Games Women of WW2 that I used to transport myself about Challenge Island.  Well I'll be racking up the frequent flyer miles this year using the same range as I got into Annie's Kickstarter.  The figures arrived in the Spring and they were saved for the Challenge.  They are all wonderful.

First up is a Lumberjill with an axe, and I love this figure.  This is a girl that would be a lot of fun to hang to with.  But a fella better not do her wrong.  The Women's Lumber Corps or Lumberjills was part of the Land Army, see the link here for the history.  I had a lot of fun researching this figure and there is some great social history available on the Corps.

This is an Alan Marsh sculpt and he has absolutely nailed it.  I was a little unsure of the shorteralls, appearing at first more in line with a Vargas or Elvgren pinup than for chopping wood.  However, photos confirm this was what they wore in the field, at least some of the time.

Axes, shorts, big grins, seriously bad hair days.

In just about any picture that I can find of the Lumberjills, they are smiling.  It must have been back breaking work, but likely a heck of an improvement over factory work.  One one thing Jerry wasn’t bombing you and for another you got to be outside in the fresh air.

So here’s my first submission for the Trio of Sorceress, I hope that she meets with approval.  If so that should be 25 points and a trip to the Hall of Traps please.  I also need to ask if I can use another female figure on the same level without the extra 20 points, just like the balloon rides last year?