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| Photo from War Times Journal website |
For years, fourteen in fact, I have been the owner and moderator of The Spanish-American War Yahoo group. And for these same fourteen years I have wanted to game both the land and naval actions of the war. While most of the land combat is seemingly one-sided, I was going to go with a Cuzco Wells scenario in which the Spanish actually outnumbered the American and Cuban forces, running the game as a quasi-skirmish affair using Tiger Miniatures. A lack of space kept me from moving forward with that little endeavor, so I decided to "go small" using the old Freikorps 15 range, but those figures are showing their age with a lack of multiple poses and fairly plain look. The Fantassin figures (which became Warmodelling, then Capitan, and now apparently Stonewall), while a bit more animated and offering a wider variety of poses, lacked U.S. Marines and some other necessary items, and they are simply far too large to use in-conjunction with the Freikorps. So, to that end I have purchased and sold off in 25mm, and purchased and sold off in 15mm, figures for gaming the land actions, a project still stagnated to this day.
From a naval aspect, again the two major actions are fairly one-sided, but I believe Manila Bay, if the Spanish have the option to use their fortress guns, could be a more balanced game. So, I do have the fleets for Manila Bay from War Times Journal, but they sit in their bags, waiting for basing and painting. Really no excuse for not getting this project worked on as the ships are tiny (1/3000 scale) and I have a large sea mat ready to use, and even rules selected (the simple Quickfire rules, also a WTJ product). So, what is the hold-up?
I think part of it stems from the shiny toy syndrome, in which a grab onto another idea or project and allow other ideas to wane. However, I am determined to change that this year, by at least getting the naval project completed in 2018.
So, stay tuned as I plow my way forward into Manila Bay!
I am in a similar position as you. I have 15mm land forces (TVAG range) that have remained unpainted for years. I am contemplating selling them off, additionally I have 1/3000 fleets from WTJ. I went with that scale because my other pre-dreds fleets are 1/3000 but I found that many of the Spanish Am War ships are too small for me to insert masts. I got frustrated and put them aside and haven't returned to finish them. One day...
ReplyDeleteI may go to 1/2400 for the naval side. The cost is minimal but that wee bit larger of a scale should make the ships easier to determine what they are, but I doubt if I do masts, unless I go to 1/1800.
DeleteHa, every time I see a new range of SAW figures I catch the bug. 1898 minis being the latest. I even thought of doing it with the Little Britons Range from Spencer Smith.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean! But at least living in a condo keeps me at 15mm or smaller!
DeleteIn the same boat! I may go larger scale and build some ships to match the 15mm scale you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThose are going to be some LARGE ships! 15mm is 1/108th scale, which means the Olympia would be...38" long!
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