Spanish 74--Monarca WIP
Like most of us here I'm really anxious for the arrival of SoG. In the meantime (and to take my mind off the wait for shipping notification) I'm working on the 1/1200 Langton Spanish 74, which I'll be designating the Monarca. Rigging still has to be done, as well as some touch up painting, and it might be time to try a small diorama instead of mounting the ship on a traditional base? Cheers!
Last edited by Nightmoss; 01-21-2014 at 18:54.
Looking good Jim. Do not think you will only play S.O.G. naval games. You will play with your 1-1200 ships at some point. Do not put them in a diorama unless they can be removed too.
In a year or two you will kick yourself.
Be safe
Rory
It's shaping up to be another beauty Jim. Again I think the colors you use are very attractive.
I've thought sometimes about doing a diorama, and it's still an attractive idea, but then I have the same concerns Rory mentions. I think about the prospect of not being able to use those models in games, and I always shy away from it.
Very nice indeed. I like the look that the colors you used gives it. They blend and complement each other well.
I couldn't agree more Bobby. Jim you are getting quite the Spanish fleet to compliment the ones coming from Ares on this first wave.Originally Posted by Coog
Change sides and ally yourself with the British.
I'd hate to see one of your beauties ruined.
He could make the ensign interchangeable and place the Union Jack on her when necessary!Change sides and ally yourself with the British.
I'd hate to see one of your beauties ruined.
I must say the hull colors are nice.
I expect you're correct, but the harbor work you and Vol have done is very impressive. I'll have to think about bases and how I might slot ships into a scene?
Thanks James. I've been looking at some stuff online and thinking about Rory's observations. Maybe a portable diorama that could be used with either SoG or standard 1/1200 ships? The water and bases becomes a focus then.
I've used the same hull colors as on the Orient, but this time I used Rory's trick of Bronze instead of Gold on the stern detail. It worked well.
I just ordered a bunch of stuff from Waterloo Minis. Once they're assembled I'll have every Spanish ship that was at Trafalgar.
lol. I'll be playing all sides, but it's fun to work on the Spanish because we wont be seeing them in SoG for some time. Once we get the Ares stuff I"ll be working on those too (when I'm not playing that is)Change sides and ally yourself with the British.
I'd hate to see one of your beauties ruined.
Maybe go pirate instead?He could make the ensign interchangeable and place the Union Jack on her when necessary!
I must say the hull colors are nice.The colors were an experiment that worked out. I do want to try some of the Langton color schemes from his rigging book. Those will look really sharp if I can execute them correctly.
I used a steel plate for the harbour base. I glued the harbour parts to the base. Standard (we call hardboard) is the same thickness as the steel base and Langton's harbour pieces. So the town can go onto the hardboard and be the same height as the harbour.
I'm glad one of my idea's worked for you.
That I can not wait to see, so no holidays for you my friend. just paint.
Be safe
Rory
Thanks Rory. The harbor may have to wait until the ships are done. I'm off to take a closer look at your album to see the configuration (going to check Vol's too). Saw this mini harbor on another blog. Nice to start small and work up maybe?
http://lairoftheubergeek.blogspot.co...cale-port.html
Beautiful work, Jim.
Are you familiar with this title - Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy: The Spanish Experience of Sea Power?
http://www.amazon.com/Trafalgar-Span...nish+trafalgar
Thanks for the heads up, Eric.
Book looked good. Picked up a like new for $9.00.
They had another like new for $9.00 from the UK.
That looks great!
That is great stuff, Bobby. Thanks, I needed that.
Sad thing, once I started reading the bullet points, I wasn't sure if this was about dissertation work or advice to politicians.
3 envelopes - a parableThat is great stuff, Bobby. Thanks, I needed that.
Sad thing, once I started reading the bullet points, I wasn't sure if this was about dissertation work or advice to politicians.
So this guy gets elected president, and when I say "this guy" I mean some fella who has spent his life in politics in some sense for the good of his country, but of course he's a politician so he's also in it for pragmatic reasons.
The day after his inauguration he gets a phone call from his predecessor to ask him how things are going. Now, it was a war of attrition that year and a hard-fought victory for the new President, but the Oval Office looks a lot different from the leather chair than it does from the other side of the desk. In a moment of kindred connection, he says to his former adversary, “It’s a big job. I have an agenda, but I don’t know where to start.”
The other guy laughs a little and says that it is a big job, but if he’s man enough to win the election he’s man enough to run the country. But just in case, in the top center drawer of the desk in the oval office, there are three envelopes. If he doesn’t know what to do next, just open the first envelope.
The new president thanked his former adversary, and hung up – certain he would never really need the envelopes. He started to work with his new cabinet and advisors, and while he tried to make good on his promises, making real advances was nearly impossible. And after a few months, his poll numbers started to slide. Then about Christmas of the first year, the bottom fell out of his first major policy change and he found himself alone in the oval office on Christmas eve not too sure what to do next.
Just then, he remembered the three envelopes, and he opened the center drawer of the desk – half-expecting to find it empty. But there they were, numbered 1-2-3, in very fresh-looking Presidental stationary from the previous administration. So he took envelope 1 out and held it for a second, thinking it might be a prank of some kind of biochemical revenge tactic from his former adversary who might just hold a grudge. But he held to up to the light and could see a single piece of paper in there, so he opened the envelop and read these three words:
BLAME YOUR PREDECESSOR
The next morning he showed up at the daily White House briefing, and after a few words from his press secretary he gave a brief but impassioned statement that framed the problems of the country in terms of the last administration. If things were every going to change, the old ways of the last president had to be pushed over – and he needed the help of the American people to do it.
The brief statement went over like gang-busters, and his poll numbers shot up. He pressed forward with a modified legislative agenda which many people supported as he governed a little more to the center, and for the next year his agenda made some forward headway. However, taxes went up, employment waivered, and his poll number started to slip. Again.
On the eve of his second Christmas, a bombshell revelation was released to the media that several of his cabinet members had shady dealings while in office, and he was himself a little ashamed of them – even though he knew in his heart he might have done the same thing in their shoes. It was going to take a renewed center of energy to fight the fight necessary to continue to make progress and refute allegations that his administration was simply corrupt. He wasn’t sure he had it in him, and he didn’t know what to do.
Then he remembered the envelopes. The first had worked so well, he thought maybe there was some strategic prophecy in the others. He took out the second envelope and opened it, and the message said:
BLAME THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES
As the words sunk in, they made perfect sense to him – the problem wasn’t his but the problem of people just being down-right un-leadable. Especially those who opposed his agenda.
The next morning he showed up at the daily White House briefing, and after a few words from his press secretary he gave a brief but impassioned statement that framed the problems of the country in terms of the lack of charity, compassion and wisdom of those who were making charges against him and his administration. If things were every going to change, the old ways of the last president had to be pushed over – and he needed the agreement of the American people to do it.
The brief statement went over like gang-busters, and his poll numbers shot up. Again. He pressed forward with a legislative agenda which some people supported as he governed a little more to the center still, and for the next year his agenda made some forward headway. However, his message of “us vs. them” left a lot of people cold – all politicians talk that way, and they thought they elected a leader they could trust to lead the whole nation and not just the few who agreed with him.
On the eve of his third Christmas in office, his poll numbers were simply pathetic – and it was time to run for re-election in earnest. But his agenda was now a lot more moderate than it used to be, and his ability to lead a coalition was severely compromised by his message against his enemies. He wasn;t sure how to proceed – and then he remembered the last envelope.
He opened the drawer and paused for a moment, wondering for a second if he was the first president to ever receive these pearls of wisdom, and somewhat perplexed by his former adversary’s intentions in leaving those envelopes for him. He paused to consider whether he should follow the advice on a letter-sized envelope from someone who was his political enemy. But he realized he didn’t have any idea where to start the new year, so he opened the envelope.
It read:
MAKE THREE ENVELOPES
Thank you Jim,
It has 4 parts. The harbour, the town, and two long shore-lines. The joints are not straight so inter-lock and not move around the table when playing. I made a 2 part shore-line that is flat and 4ft long. But this dumb modeler did not make it to match the harbour shore-lines. BIG MISTAKE on my part. I will make inserts to help match them one day. I have done 2 of Langton's islands they are great to do. Shore batteries and small forts which are free-standing so I can move them around the shore-line as I wish. Good luck with yours.
Be safe
Rory
It looks very interesting!
Sorry Hematba (hope the name is right). Can I ask what is very interesting?
Be safe
Rory
The Monarca is complete for the moment. I've ordered some custom bases from Litko and wont be able to finish up until those arrive. Took a few photos to share although some did not turn out well. I've decided I need a better system for taking pictures. I should probably ask James what he does as his pictures always turn out great (on top of some phenomenal modeling). I've used some Vallejo 'Water Effects' along the hull, which certainly looks wet in some of the shots. I'll be touching that up with paint after it dries. Anyhow, thanks for indulging me another round of photos. (7 Spanish ships done, 8 to go) Cheers!
Last edited by Nightmoss; 01-21-2014 at 18:59.
Did you order the 50 x 75mm x 1/8" bases?
I ordered one set of light blue for the base and one set of clear to place over the ship card.
Thanks Ed. I ordered bases at 40mm wide and 3 different lengths to give enough room for the magnetic name plates I've been putting on each vessel. I did go with their black 1/8 inch deep bases though. Most likely I'll be doing something for SoG involving bases, but I've just not decided what yet?
Did you order the 50 x 75mm x 1/8" bases?
I ordered one set of light blue for the base and one set of clear to place over the ship card.
Thanks! I hope the do well too. Can't wait to see if Ares will be doing the Trinidad in some future wave (sooner than later I hope)?Great models & pictures, Jim.
I hope they'll do their best when meetingt the RN.
Great models & pictures, Jim.
I hope they'll do their best when meetingt the RN.
Hi Jim,
You do not have to wait for Ares. With your 1/8 inch bases they will match and look better on the table than any Ares ships. By using a clear template over the models for wind and firing angles, you are away. I have seen 1-1200 next to a Ares ship. They look O.K. size wise. I'm sure you could make up ships logs for your Spanish ships.
By the way they look great.
Be safe
Rory
Thanks Rory. I'm only waiting on Ares for the SoG ships, which I might do some kit bashing on, along with custom bases. I think that's what Ed is planning too, which is why he ordered custom bases from Litko also? I know somewhere we have exact measurements of the SoG bases, but I'm not sure which thread it might be on?
I do like the idea of coming up with ship logs for this Spanish fleet. I lack the knowledge/expertise to do that, but I'd certainly use it if someone else formulated the appropriate statistics.
I read the base measurements were 50x75mm but, I couldn't find the height of the base anywhere. that's why I ordered two sets of the 1/8' Litko's for a total height of 1/4". I'm hoping that will be close to SGN's base height.
Vol, your Santa Ana is beautiful, but sure to post some pics here. After reading your blog and knowing she got smashed makes it even more incredible that you saved it and made it look so good.
Thanks for the photos of the harbor too. Not that I plan on doing one anytime soon, but where do you get the ships for the drydock/construction section. They look very neat. Cheers!
The construction hulks are Langton and come with the slipway. The masted ship next to them is scratchbuilt as is themoored merchant on the left. The two moored SOL's are GHQ hulls with scratchbuilt masts and spars.
It looks fantastic Jim, great job on the rigging and base. Thanks for the kind words about my pictures, I'll do a post about my set up and procedure if that will be helpful - though I think your pictures look great.
Vol, I love the shot of your awesome harbor getting some table time. Makes me want to come up with a cutting out scenario!
- James
Not sure when, or if, Keith will be able to restore the old photos, but I just finalized my work on the Monarca, using the new custom Litko bases I received yesterday. Along with the bases I also ordered their heavy duty flexible magnetic sheets. Self adhesive they stick very easily to the bases and have an amazing holding power, which you can see from the shot I took of the Monarca on the side of the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Beautiful paint job as always Jim. Wish I could get my lines so straight. The magnets are a geat idea.
Regards,
Vol
Thanks, Vol. Say, I just saw your NavWar Reina Maria Luisa on TMP. Beautiful job!! Did you buy the foremast flag from Waterloo Minis or make it yourself? Looks really nice!
Answered you on TMP Jim
Got it, and saved the link. Thanks!
Beautiful work Jim! I regret not leaving room on my bases for removable ship names and nationalities, the way you've rigged them. I'll have to figure out some little templates that can attach somehow, or at least move around with the models. Do you just print up the name on paper and attach, or what do you use?
I know from personal experience that the magnetic layer is strong enough, but seeing the model hanging on to the side of the fridge still makes me nervous!
- James
Thanks James. I'm using Microsoft Publisher to create the labels. I think I just modified a quick start label style they have as a template and then each time I need a new label I bring in new flags as a graphic and change the font in the text box. The printing would produce a whole sheet, but you can control the number of flags to actually print to cut down on ink use. I could try and upload the file here? I think you can change content without having MS Publisher, most likely using MS Word.
The clear covers on the labels are Scotch self sealing laminate pouches. You stick the label on the clear adhesive sheet, cut to size and then use tacky glue to attach the other clear sheet to the back of the label.
http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Self-Se.../dp/B002Q0YD28
I use flexible magnetic bumper sticker sheets to hold the labels to the bases. Cut to size and you're good to go. If I ever use the 1/1200 ships to actually game I could conceivably switch names very easily.
The magnetic sheets from Litko are really strong, but I wouldn't leave the shift hanging from the fridge for any length of time.
I really like the color scheme on the Santa Ana. Just the right shade of brown.
I can't think of a more beautiful job done on a 1/1200 model.
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