Naval Wargaming

[Northern Monkey]

So, I’ve been looking at some 1/2400 ships (GHQ) and am sorely tempted to explore this area of the war, can anyone point me at some simple rules, and alternatives to GHQ, i’ve looked at the Mongoose stuff but the lack of carriers puts me off, seen some ships on the Magister militum site but not sure of who makes them, any help appreciated.

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Luddite]

The cheap alternative to GHQ (and afar more comprehensive range) is Navwar http://www.navwar.co.uk/nav/default.asp?MMID=62

 

For a free, fun set of rules I heartily recommend Iron ships and Wooden Heads: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-zSTSdd1GbXdG1LYVluMEgzWVU/edit?pli=1

[Paul]

Cheers Wg Cdr; what size table and how many ships per side would you recommend for a decent game. Never played a naval wargame before, but have been tempted of late. As with land warfare, though, deciding on a period is the difficult bit – I am not sure if I want to go for WWII, Ancients, or Napoleonics (or, eventually, all three).

Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them!

[Northern Monkey]

Thanks Wingco, i’d forgotten about Navwar despite having a bunch of their napoleonics.

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Luddite]

Depends what size action you want to play.

On a standard 6′ x 4′ table you can fight :

a coastal battle with MTBs and gunboats using 1:600 or 1:1200 models,

a squadron or convoy size battle using 1:3000 models,

or a fleet action using 1:6000 models

[Martin Lefebvre]

I really like the Naval Thunder rules by Steel Dreadnought Games.

The scale is 2 inches=1000 yards, time scale is 5 minutes/turn, 1d10 per tube.

 

We usually get a game of about 10-15 capital ships per side in about 3-4 of casual gaming.  If you want some after-game reports, I have a few on my blog http://thenortherngamer.blogspot.ca/.

 

[Northern Monkey]

Well Ive decided to get into this and placed an order with Navwar, i’ll let you know how it goes and post some pics of the ships when they arrive, for those taking an interest in this period

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Frog]

Another option for 1/2400 ships is Panzerschiffe: http://www.panzerschiffe.com

 

Very inexpensive, they’re made of some sort of epoxy resin. Not nearly as detailed as GHQ, but no assembly required and no tiny bits to break off/lose.

 

For rules, my preferred set is General Quarters 3 from ODGW. Middle of the road as far as complexity, with enough detail to keep me happy.

Bunch of monkeys on your ceiling, sir!

[Northern Monkey]

So next question can any point me to a list of ship types plus the ships that were of that type ie

Battlecruisers- hms blah, hms whatever etc

And secondly a paint scheme guide, preferably for British and German ahips in the north sea/Atlantic and Arctic theatres

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Ken]

Morning NM, by sheer luck, I have just put up a guide to painting WW2 Naval and then read down to see this thread. Hope my guide helps in some way.

As for the area your looking at North Atlantic, most ships where painted in a very light grey to blend in with the skies up there. I would start with a base coat of Light Grey then dry brush Silver Grey then off white. If you can get hold of the book shown in my blog that will give you the full low down, if a ship had a dazzle camo scheme it would be individual for cruisers and above and usually changed three or four times during the course of the war. You could write a book about it but someone already has !

Best bet is to Google Image each ship name, nearly every ship of WW2 will have a few images on there and work camo schemes off them.

As for ship lists, everything the Germans built would be a start and wouldn’t cost much, Skytrex do some good value fleet packs which give a good selection of ship types for an area, plus they do convoy packs as well.

Enjoy your new period.

Ken

Http://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.co.uk

[Ken]

NM, just realised your at the same club as me, I’ll let you know when I’m in next, brain slow this morning

Cheers, Ken

Http://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.co.uk

[Northern Monkey]

Thanks Ken, very useful, do the Skytrex ships mix/match well with the Navwar stuff, by the way are you the same Ken who goes to Leeds Wargames Club, (Headingley, Wednesdays) if so its a small world as im a club member there and I think I have lent some WW2 rules from you in the past?

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Northern Monkey]

Whoops you got there first, yeah, looking at your blog i recognised your name lol, im in tomorrow if youre going

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Ken]

Hi, with shifts and what have you next visit will be 3rd Sept, let me know if you want me to put a game on [email protected]

Http://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.co.uk

[Steve Burt]

Skytrex do mix with Navwar, but make sure you buy all ships of a given class from one or the other.

For collecting ships, I’d suggest pick a battle that interests you (preferably a fairly balanced one), and get all the ships for that battle.

Are you more interested in North Atlantic or the Med?

Barents Sea is an interesting battle with a good mix of forces.

You may as well get all the German capital ships because there aren’t very many of them.

You’ll also need about a dozen destroyers for the Germans.

[Northern Monkey]

Thanks all for there guidance/advice, a mate has just reminded me that I picked up a few navwar ships in a bargain box (they were in with some napoleonics that I was after) at the bring n buy at Vapnartak in York several years again, and lo and behold after a dig around ive located them along with a copy of the general quarters rules which ive never even looked at, are these any good?

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Northern Monkey]

So ive now read General Quarters and I like it, howeverthere is no mention of basing, seeing how some of the DD’s are tiny at this scale, Im thinking that they need basing, any recommendations for a size of base, i was thinking of basing them so that there is 1com of “sea” between the model and the edge of the base?

My attempt at a Blog: http://ablogofwar.blogspot.co.uk/

[Steve Burt]

Just base them on the smallest size bases you can, with room for a label on the back (you don’t want to be constantly picking them up to remember which one is Javelin and which one is Kelly). I’d say 1cm of sea each side is too much for destroyers; more like 5mm is enough.

GQ1 and 2 are fine fast playing rules with not much detail. Good for fleet actions. I prefer GQ3, but that’s quite a bit more complex.

[grizzlymc]

I chose GQ3 when they came out and find them very good.  They use a d12 per two tubes but I have found you get a better (less bloody) result with a d20.  Whilst not true rivet counters rules, it is true that they have more granularity than GQ1/2.  At 1:3000 scale on a 6×6 table there is room for most wwii battles.

 

Unless you are really short of the readys, thenavwar fleet packs are good value.  They do the z plan, matapan nd the Philippine sea.

 

There area lot of sites with good camp data, or you can buy books.  Amazon searches will get you some way, but a few books are in o their languages

 

RN until mal Wright’s books come out the four wr press books by raven titledsomething like royal navy camouflage vol x 19##-19##  are the best bet.

Km German naval camouflage naval institute press , John asmussen

Italy ermino Tabasco la mimettzzazioni Dell’s navigation italiane 1940-1945

[grizzlymc]

Damn tablet

 

Mr Tabasco is actually Mr Bagnasco

[Author]

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