Ark Royal packs will be priced at £21.50 with a set of ratlines @ £2.50 per ship. The ratline/shroud sets are optional. Some smaller ships do not require ratlines.
There are squadron deals available covering the 18 listed options below with pack numbers and quantities noted. A squadron deal has three packs and will cost £56 and thus offer a £8.50 discount on three packs.
The squadron packs are designed to be historically balanced in the context of their use. Each will contain a brief written guide explaining the ship types and operational scope of the squadron. This will help gamers new to the period place their ships in context and understand the options available.
The shops are configured for most preordering now.
Squadron deal 1. English Civil War Parliamentarian 1642-1653
Suitable for fighting any of England's foreign enemies and Prince Rupert's Royalist Fleet between 1648 and 1652.
1 x ARD001, 1 x ARD012A, 1 x ARD014
Squadron deal 2. English Civil War Royalist 1648-1653
Suitable for Prince Rupert's Royalist Fleet between 1648 and 1652 serving in home waters, Portugal, Spain, Mediterranean, Atlantic, Gambia and the Caribbean.
1 x 70 gun (representing Constant Reformation, 2 x 40 gun, 1 x ARD014, 1 x AR025 (Captured prizes).
Squadron deal 3. 1st Anglo Dutch War 1652-1654 English Commonwealth Home Waters
Suitable for fighting in Northern and Western waters.
1 x ARD001, 1 x ARD011, 1 x ARD012A
Squadron deal 4. 1st Anglo Dutch War 1652-1654 English Commonwealth Straits Squadron
Suitable for fighting in The Mediterranean.
1 x ARD012A, 1 x ARD014, 1 x ARD025 (Hired merchantmen).
Squadron deal 5. 1st Anglo Dutch War 1652-1654 Dutch Republic
1 x ARD013, 1 x ARD014, 1 x ARD016 (Hired merchantmen).
Squadron deal 6. 2nd Anglo Dutch War 1665-1667 English
1 x ARD002, 1 x ARD011, 1 x ARD012B.
Squadron deal 7. 2nd Anglo Dutch War 1665-1667 Dutch
1 x ARD011, 2 x ARD013.
Squadron deal 8. 3rd Anglo Dutch War 1672-1674 English
1 x ARD 002, 1 x ARD011, 1 x ARD012B.
Squadron deal 9. 3rd Anglo Dutch War 1672-1674 Dutch
1 x ARD011, 2 x ARD013.
Squadron deal 10. 3rd Anglo Dutch War/ Franco-Dutch War 1672-1678 French
1 x ARD011, 2 x ARD014.
Squadron deal 11. Tangier Squadron 1660-1684 English
1 x ARD011, 1 x ARD012B, 1 x ARD015.
Suitable for fighting in the Mediterannean
Squadron deal 12. Skåne War 1675-1679 Swedish
1 x ARD002, 1 x ARD012, 1 x ARD014.
Swedish ships were similar in design to many English ships and these codes make good representations. The Swedes had several very large units. Swedish and Danish ships had some swallow tailed flags but this should be too much of an issue. Some period and modern art show ships with conventionally shaped flags or a mix.
Squadron deal 13. Skåne War 1675-1679 Danish
1 x ARD012A, 1 x ARD013, 1 x ARD014.
Danish ship designers adopted elements of both Dutch and English styles. The Danes allied with the Dutch in this war and earlier against the Swedes. It is legitimate to include Dutch allies in the fleet on occasion.
Squadron deal 14. French Privateer Squadron Nine Years War 1688-1697
1 x ARD013, 1 x ARD014 x 1, 1 x ARD021.
The Guerre de Course (war of the chase) was a tremendously successful tactic for French privateers particualrly during the Nine Years War/League of Augusburg period. Sailing out of Dunkirk, St Malo,Brest and Bayonne the wrought havoc with English and Dutch shipping. They favoured light, fast frigates and small craft packed with armed men.
Squadron deal 15 Generic Privateer Squadron 1640 - 1700
1 x ARD014, 1 x ARD021 x 1, 1 x ARD025.
This is a squadron for classic piratical actions from the Irish Confederate and Royalist Scilly Isles privateers of the 1640s, the notorious Scottish privateers of the Dutch Wars era who infested the North Sea and even attacked land targets in northern Europe to the Caribbean based pirates.
Squadron deal 16 Merchant fleet and Tyne colliers 1640-1700
1 x ARD014, 1 x ARD021 x 1, 1 x ARD023.
A convoy with escorts. Hundreds of dirty black collIer boats took coals FROM Newcastle! Everyone was after them!
Squadron deal 17 Fishing fleet and Escorts 1640-1700
1 x ARD014, 2 x ARD024.
Much Dutch wealth was built on the the herring industry and most good herring were to be found in English waters! Hundreds of fishing boats were frequently a target for maruading English cruisers which wanted both the fleet and the catch! There is money in fish.
Squadron deal 18 Indies armed convoy 1640-1700
2 x ARD013, 1 x ARD022.
Dutch wealth is built on the activites of the GWC and VOC companies of the 17th century. These are the BIG prize for any marauding fleet. One single convoy was worth more than the Crown revenues of Denmark prompting Charles II and the Danish King to make as secret pact to capture it and personally split the wealth!
SHIP PACK LIST
ARD001 Sovereign of the Seas and Prince Royal circa 1641*
ARD002 Sovereign/Royal Sovereign + Resolution/Royal Prince circa 1660>*
ARD011 Generic 70 gun + generic 60 gun + Advice jacht*
ARD012A English flush deck 50 + 2 x 2 deck 40 gun ships with top gallants*
ARD012B 2 x English flush deck 50 + 1 x 2 deck 40 gun ships with double reefed topsails*
ARD013 Dutch Admiralty VOC/GWC Indiamen 1 x 52 gun + 2 x 38 gun*
ARD014 Frigates 2 x 38 gun + 1 x 26 gun*
ARD015 Smaller warships: 1 x 26 gun galley frigate + 2 x 14 gun pinnace + 1 x pinnace with sweeps*
ARD016 Armed Fluyts (Flutes) 2 x 22 gun + 3 x 14 gun*
ARD017 Fireships aflame x 5
ARD021 Northern European coasters - 2 x Hoekers, 2 x Crompsters, 1 x Galeas, 1 x Galiot*
ARD022 Merchant Fluyts: 2 x 6 gun, 3 x 4 gun 1 x Whaler*
ARD023 Brigs (Naval and civilian use - colliers etc) 2 types in random mix x8 total*
ARD024 Fishing fleet 10 x Herring busses of 5 types/random mix
ARD025 Older Merchantmen (long beakheads) 4 types 2 x 26 gun, 1 x 6 gun, 1 x 4 gun*
