The League of Augsburg

sample page from Rolling Thunder!

We are developing new products all the time. Right now I am close to finishing and publishing the Mad for War fleet rules which are called Rolling Thunder! The system uses multi-based ships on a 1:1 basis  utilizing smaller scale models to facilitate the painting and use of entire fleets in the Anglo-Dutch War period. This can mean upward of 100 ships per side.

sam...

Let's start with code ARD014 Frigates

This code is one of the most popular in the range. It comprises 2 x 38 gun frigates and 1 x 26 gun. These ships are extremely utilitarian. They can be used from the period of the 1620s through to 1700. English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Venetian, Swedish, Danish, Ottoman, Berber fleets can all deploy them.

In the Martime Nations they would be used for...

It's a while since I have blogged but that is simply because social media and life are not always compatible. Live one, neglect the other! Trying to do both is NO LIFE at all.  This post gets to the nub straight away. It is a Noobs guide to the Ark Royal range and its models. It provides, context to the use of each in gaming terms. It may have a few parts as I am writing this off the cuff...

REMEM...

Sense the scale of this epic!

Devotion to the cause is the mark of the 17th century gamer. It doesn't come at any higher level than Jean de Dieu Labedoyere's (aka Ian C) game modelling the epic 21 years siege of Iraklion (Heraklio), Crete between 1648 and 1669.

Close in naval support

I am told it was perhaps seven years in the making. My game and this tour de force were side by side at The Other...

Clarence Harrison - I've been wanting to do this unit ever since I got into the period - somewhere around 2006. I actually purchased the models from Wargames Foundry, but other projects took precedence (we began working on Republic to Empire) and the models sat in a box (they're still there as far as I know).

In 2010, my real love for the period was solidified when Barry and I met at Historicon...

Capital units of the Swedish fleet head north towards Stockholm, June 1st 1676

..... I will get to play my Christmas game which this year I have decided is a version of the Battle of Öland, June 1st 1676. This will be my largest effort with 1/1200 17th century ships and my target is to included 36 models. That leaves me about four weeks to paint up 7-8 ships several of which are big 'uns.

Highly...

Some new and unique pieces which I will be selling off.

I tinker with stuff. It's an illness and I have had for years. I can't just leave things alone. I have to be chopping up figures, converting them and generally mucking about. Having been fixated with river crossings in Ireland (it all started with the Boyne you see) for quite some time, I have accrued a lot of what was once described by a...

An end to end walk through of how I made the boards for the Scilly Isles game between Blake / Tromp and the Royalists. Watch the 10 minute video here:

Some shots of the game here. 

Full scenario in the soon to be released 4Play pack 036 Seas Ablaze!

Sophia Amalia - 3D printed @ 1/1200 with scratchbuilding on masts

I bought a 1/600 scale 3D print file of a 17th century ship and got a friend to print the Sovereign of the Seas file in 1/1200 scale as I have no printer. I wanted to see the quality and have a go at painting the model. We also printed in 1/600 scale. The file was from Gilded Sails/Wargaming 3D.

Photo show the 3D print in 1/600 beside...

Recent Facebook posts featuring my teddy bear fur terrain mat has generated a lots of questions. I realized I was going to be typing the same thing again and again to answer queries so thought I just post it all here and direct anyone interested to the blog. Knock yourself out and get messy!

Kronan heels over in a gust of wind - WiP shot - not yet finished

I am working on various projects right now including several in 28mm but none of those are quite ready for sharing. This little flight of fancy however, is.

The Battle of Öland which occurred on June 1^st1676 during the Skåne War was a major fleet engagement and a disastrous defeat for Sweden. In terms of drama on the high seas, it...