I have always had a soft spot for the Age of Sail. In fact it's a period that I have come to know, love and respect. Anyone who could of endured the hardships at seas in these vessels were literally men of iron. The last five weeks has been tough as our family cares for my mother as she battles shingles. Shingles are evil. I have got into the man cave only once for the aforementioned elapsed period. In the mean time I have had a chance to read up on a few rule sets.
Took some time to investigate Away Boarders, Flying Colors, and Ship of the Line (flying colors expansion). I also downloaded some paper models from Jeffrey Knudsen to look at to write a future article for Lone Warrior. Last night I scored a used copy of ship models in miniature by Donald McNarry. The following unfortunate news is from the "Old Salt Blog" of which I highly recommend if you are a Age of Sail enthusiast.
Donald McNarry, who has died aged 89, was considered by model ship enthusiasts to be the master of “extreme” miniature shipbuilding. He took up model making as a hobby when he was a boy and built model ships for the rest of his life. From 1955 he worked as a freelance professional and created some 350 models of historic ships covering the period from 700BC to the late 1960s. His styles of presentation included scenic, waterline, full-hull and the traditional Navy Board type – almost all of them constructed according to miniature scales ranging from 100ft to one inch to 16ft to one inch.
One of the things I fancy regarding Flying Colors is the board game that facilitates a duel map which allows for the smallest of engagements. The map is defined by a large hexagon. Here is where you the wargamer can focus on small engagements i.e. two ships battling it out. I plan on some future “extreme” miniature shipbuilding whereby I build a few models in great detail to fight it out. Bigger battles are played out with counters.
I am in Calgary Alberta for a course early February. If possible I'll purchase Flying Colors board game at the Sentry Box. If not no worries. I have the rules and everyone who knows me will attest that I'll figure something out, improvise, and play a game, one way or another! I so want to try out some of McNarry's techniques and build some first rate miniatures.