Looking forward to Pirates...

[Rockrattled]

A gaming store I frequent in Spokane Washington had a large Castle/building/miniature battle thingy right as you walk in, and I always thought it would be cool to build something like that. I like the idea of terrain, but wanted something more mobile in the sense that if you build a clump of woods that's just what it is. My friends have built some simple ships before, but I wanted to build something a little grander, but still functional for miniatures. Using Stephen Biesty's MAN-OF-WAR in the COOLEST CROSS-SECTIONS EVER! I built a gaming platform for high sea battle. Foam board, two-inch dowel dividers, glue gun, and a whole lot of printed wood decking.

 

[Captin Morgan]

Hey, this is a cool ship, can it float in water

 

[Rockrattled]

No, although my daughter keeps asking me if she can play with it in her pool...
To give the boat some scale, I've started another boat that I'll be using for the Penumbra module Maiden Voyage by Chad Brouillard. This ship is supposed to hold around 20 people minus hold space.

The ships are a scale of 1"=5'.

Small ship 5" x 15" 4 levels
Large ship 10" x 30" 8 levels

I'm looking for some ideas on how to make model catapults, balistas, cannons. Any ideas?

 

[Conaill]

Looks very nice, Rock! I really like your use of printed decking glued on the foam board, which instantly gives you ship a "finished" appearance.

One of my co-players just made a model of the ship our party comissioned. It's about the same size as the smaller ship in the second picture (25'x80', 20 crew). Very different construction though: he mostly used thin wood planks and filled in the outer hull and inside partitions as well

In his version, each of the decks can be taken off individually, which simplifies playing on it with miniatures (the masts hold all the decks together).

This also has the advantage that you can can put just the part above the waterline on your battlemap, to more correctly simulate combat between different size ships, or between opponents on deck and on the water surface.

 

[alsih2o]

that is soooo cool!


email me if oyu wanna talk model weapon building

 

[Rockrattled]

The deck supports are only glued from the bottom so I can slide the masts out and separate the decks like your friend. The three masts hold it "in place." I'm considering taking a drill press and boring three holes in a sturdier piece of wood so the masts stand more rigid, thus making the boat really stand in-place.

As for a finished look. I'm trying to build railings, but its not looking like I want it. On a piece of deck that I cut out of the smaller one, I tried spraying a glossy finish on the "deck" but it doesn't look drastically different like a waxed deck.

 

[Conaill]

Just a thought... Could you make a hull for these ships as well, just by wrapping some sheets of balsa wood around the decks? Or maybe just some heavy cardboard?

You could experiment with plain paper, then trace the outline of each hull section on balsa or cardboard. Not sure how well printed hull planking would work on these because of the curves, but it might work if you use smaller strips for the hull.

How rigid and sturdy is your current model, BTW? With that many free standing supports glued perpendicular to poster board, it sounds rather fragile?

 

[Rockrattled]

You sound like me while I was building this thing. "What could I do next...Hmmmm."

The point for this one was to be able to use miniatures easily, and sides would get in the way. As for the sturdiness of the thing, it's ironic you should have asked that. The last picture I took with it on the ground...My daughter's cat decided to go adventuring on the third deck while I was taking it apart! Bent some of the supports and dislodged others.

The boat is made out of foam board which is basically 5mm of rigid foam with poster board secured to both sides. Sturdy enough for adults gaming, but not sturdy enough for 4 month old cats...

The supports are glued on with a hot glue gun, and the one thing that I've learned from this is put a large dollop (sp?) of glue. Do not be frugal. I've also considered making a balsa frame that matches the contour of the decks, and is about 2cm wide for the top and bottom of the supports. This is the first one I've ever done, so live and learn I guess.

 

[Captin Morgan]

Well you could always make another one , which probally would be better than the first,and also would increase your armada.

 

[BenPowis]

Wow, what an awsome model!

That looks like it would be SO much fun to decorate, fill with mini boxes and ballels etc.

Good job!