What Ship Scale Are You Using?

[pbeccas]

What seems to be the most popular ship scale the average Trafalgar player is leaning towards?

I ask because I can't decide what ships to buy.

[Coel Hen]

__pbeccas

I've opted for the 1:1200 models for personal collecting and gaming.

I like this scale for several reasons:

(1.) I have a decently large 'sea' on which to game 121cm x 242cm (4'x6')
(2.) Decent ship coverage, frigates, 1st, 2nd, ships of the line, and the big bad 120-gunners and above.
(3.) Good sculpts from GHQ and Langton

The reason this scale is a bummer:

I have to face it, this is a hobby, and a man's coin is either put into dark frothy beverages or tiny tin men and pewter mini's (not that both or either are a hobby on equal terms or such), it's just economics..for me.

Other scales and producers (Old Glory, I think) make some OK (but not great) one-piece model ships that ring up around $70.00 USD. These are box sets and would work in a pinch. Not to be a snit, but so would paper chits, just not as satisfying as pushing about globs of pewter I'd reckon.

For an actual Trafalgar engagement I will probably have a 'squadron' to include a Royal Navy flagship, a selection of Weather and Lee rates and frigates. That will be 4-7 ships. Next I will add the 'Franco-Spanish'. Those "squadrons" will have similar numbers and types of ships as the RN only for the Rearguard and Center--maybe some named ships from the Squadron of Observation.

I'll have both sides for a demo or invitational type game. It's easier to find a fellah to go a round or two than it is actually finding someone with a squadron (RN or "Allies") and willing to give 'er a go.

Best wishes,

Sanders.

[bluewillow]

for me the Langton range cannot be beat, however its very small and fiddly with my big fingers, that said I'm still excited!

cheers
Matt

[SchuleinP]

I have some langton ships, but I bought the ForgedinBattle 1:3000 ships for larger engagements.

[KeepOnTruxtun!]

I have my 6 US "SuperFrigates" and 6 armed schooners at 1/2400th scale because I'd rather push a pufferfish through my colon than rig a 1/1200th scale ship!

[Bosun]

Rigging a 1/1200 ship isn't as hard as it seems, especially if you don't do a total rigging job like the one on page103!!
Page 101 gave me the idea that you only need to start at the bow-sprit and with a long enough piece of cotton I could go aft, winding the cotton round the masts, at the mizzen mast I wound the cotton down the mast and worked my way forward. Every time I wound the cotton round a mast I brushed some super glue on the cotton to keep it taut. I didn't drill any holes so I didn't add the shrouds but I got some fine mesh for the ratlines (via Rod Langton) so they were added.
Yes it was time consuming and fiddly but it is possible. If you want you can use a needle to thread the cotton round the masts.
It really is better than the Blowfish and the colon scenario.

Brian

[Coel Hen]

I'm more and more in favor of 1:1200 but that is just where I am and what scale the fellahs in my district will use (more than likely). Besides I'll probably have a few ships of the English and the Combined fleets of France and Spain. So I can host or provide ships to my gamer friends and we'll always have compatible scaled squadrons.

Not to stray too far from the topic, here's a short materials and 'method' I use to add some character to the ships with rigging.

Rigging the ships at 1:1200 scale is working in close and can be frustrating. I merely added a bit of rigging to insinuate or to suggest ship's lines.

Simulating Ship Rigging

I use poly-filament (Stren) fishing line and 'gel' super-glue. The main reason is because that is what I had on hand. I had 3-5 pound 'test' line. Now there is a sewing thread that is clear polyester and smaller 'gauge' than the fishing line (might try some light-tackle clear line too). That would have been nice but harder to work with for me.

Method

I reeled some fishing line onto the spool of a casting reel and set the 'bell' to give the line some tension. Then I reeled off a bit of line and glue as I go, snipping at strategic positions.

Dab of glue. Wait for glue to set. Snip the line with a small pair of scissors (or surgical snips, or fly-scissors). Onward.

I started in between the masts (be it fore mast, main, or mizzen depending). The I worked my way outward.

[The Heathen]

It is 1/1200 scale all the way for me.
More visually pleasing IMHO than smaller scales and as I have been using various rulesets for Age of Sail for the past 9 years and langton minatures were the first one I ever bought, I would be loathe to start another scale in the same era.
On saying that, if I did change ( and it would need to be a very good reason!) I think I might get a good price for 40+ 1/1200, painted, based and rigged ships on ebay! (It would break my heart though)
As for rigging ships, I agree with the sentiments of previous posts. Don't do a full rigging job on the model unless you are displaying them. To much to break and damage on the game table. Following the rigging guide in Trafalgar, and lots of practice, I can now rig a 1/1200 ship in about 25 minutes.
I, personally, would not go down the scale, but have purchased a 1/700 scale Victory and Santissima Trinidad in view of doing a demo game at some point.

Erik

[Legionary312AD]

I am just starting out and have opted for 1:1200.
Doing the rigging is very rewarding, if hard work.
All in all, I believe that if I am doing this genre of wargaming I may as well go the whole nine yards and do it in 1:1200, rigging and all.

[Warren]

I've gone 1/2400 with Tumbling Dice and Hallmark ships.

I did originally have 1/1200 but abandoned them. I wasn't satisfied with the results I was achieving - the 1/2400 have proven to be far more forgiving - especially the Tumbling Dice ships which already have the rat-line 'scramble nets' moulded on.

However the 1/1200 when done well can't be beaten.

Best wishes for bringing the fleet to the table

Cheers

Warren

[AKI]

I tried the rules out for the first time recently, using the "Pirates" series of card models; scale wise I'd guess they're 1/1200 ish.

Aesthetically the purists will probably despise them, but as I have a large enough collection to pretty much do Trafalgar itself, I'm not too worried. I'd rather play the game conveniently than start modelling a massive fleet of expensive and fragile ships.

[jmilesr]

I've decided to go with the 1/1200 Langtons vs the 1/2400 Hallmark/Figurehead models. Both are excellent products and probably the best way to make a decision is to define yourself in terms of gamer vs modeler - if you like the gaming aspect more than the modeling aspect then the smaller scale is the best bet, if you like the modeling aspect as much or more then the large scale may make sense. Of course, I haven't rigged my first Langton so perhaps I'll report back a different tune after that!

I have a comparison of the 2 models posted on my blog is you're interested:

http://web.me.com/jmilesr01/lairoftheubergeek/Welcome.html