Signal flags

Anyone else out there that has been fiddling with signalling flags?
Attachment 12644
All of my flags can be exchanged, perhaps if a Commodore was to take command the first rate instead.

I will probably trim the pennants pin a little.

That looks great. There's definitely been talk of signal flags, but if I recall it was using cards as the flags during a game. No talking allowed, but you can use signal flag/cards to communicate with your allies, etc.

:thumbsup:

She looks quite nice, Jonas. :hatsoff:

If the flags could be changed quickly during a game, I believe it would be quite fun for the other captains to await orders.

I hoped it would be very easy. Just put the upper loop over the top and then the second loop. It turned out to be a little more difficult than that. My fingers seems to have grown bigger and less sensitive than I remember. It's still something that can be done during game.

By the way...
The signal on the picture is according to "the internet" 16 as in the 1799 (or is it 1797?) code book by Howe. I only found the flags for 16 and 39. Anyone know the rest?

I've found Pophams book with the full 1803 code on Google books online. According to what I've found it's the same flags but new numbers assigned to them?

http://books.google.se/books?id=qxZEAAAAYAAJ

Here's a thread in which we discussed signaling, and it has links to other signal threads and items.

You mentioned fingers; I notice my eyesight is not what it used to be regarding unclose work. To be young, again.

The best flag based signalling system I've used was a system I saw originally in Wargames Ilustrated back on the 1990s (I think) where each player had a wooden base with three of those plastic channel things that you can use as temporary paper binders. Players also had a collection of flags and when they wanted to send a signal they placed the flags in the channel and "flew" the message they wished to convey. It looked great and really got across to the layers how AoS signalling systems worked (and the pitfalls). I wish I still had the bits and pieces to do this.

And given how well the typical Gamer follows instructions, I'm sure the results were more accurate than anyone anticipated....

Yes indeed :happy:

Having just read a story where signals between ships played an important part, and spurred on by Neil's signal cards, I think I will try this out in an upcoming game. I intend to give each ship a number so that individual signals can be sent to captains of the various ships and use a repeater Frigate so that messages are delayed by two cards movement.
Then we will see what meyhem results, and how long it takes the enemy commander to respond to the new headings.
Rob.

Here I am nearly a year on, and despite having a book on the development of signaling am no further forward than when i posted last.
It was discussed at Doncaster this last weekend, but not used in any game. Maybe next year?
Rob.

I am also going to look into signal flags, see if we can spice up the fleet action house rules

Right Chris.
Keep me posted.
Rob.

The intention is to make some signal flags same size as ship cards then make a list of "commands" for each to represent, see how they work

Pretty much the way I was going to handle it.
If that went well, I was going to have a repeater Frigate. Show them the card and let them repeat it to the Fleet. Of course you would have different signals for the enemy.
Rob.