Monday 16 April 2012

Minifigs Warships - Reborn!


I have at last managed to get a full set of photographs of the masters for the relaunched Minifigs Warship range from Dave Ryan at Caliver books and so have taken the liberty of providing the full list as available from him with the appropriate pictures. The prices etc are available from Caliver Books themselves.

Miniature Figurines Early 20th Century Warships – 1:1800th scale (150ft per inch)

1. Late Pre Dreadnought – based on the Lord Nelson/Agamemnon Class Battleship (2) 76mm 


1
2. Second Class Pre Dreadnought – based on the Swiftsure/Triumph Class Battleship (2) 82mm


2
3. Early Pre Dreadnought – based on the Majestic Class Battleship (9) 83mm – Also usable as the Centurion Class (3 of these although these were shorter by between 30 to 50ft) and the Royal Sovereign Class (8) although these had their main guns in barbettes rather than turrets and so will need replacing.


3
4. Later Dreadnought – based on the Iron Duke (4)/King George V (4) Class Battleship 97mm – Also usable as the Orion class although these had the tripod aft of the fore funnel.


4
5. Later Battle Cruiser – based on the Lion/Princess Royal Class Battleship (2) 97mm – Also usable as the Queen Mary


5
6. Pre Dreadnought – based on the Canopus Class Battleship (6) 84mm – Also usable as Formidable (3), London (3), Queen (2) and Duncan (6) classes.


6
7. Early Armoured Cruiser – based on the Drake Class Cruiser (4) 84mm – Also usable as Cressy Class (6), Diadem Class (8) and could also be used for the Monmouth Class (10) with the removal of a funnel and slightly redeploying the remaining three.


7
8. Later Armoured Cruiser – based on the Devonshire Class Cruiser (6) 81mm


8
9. Small Light Cruiser – based on the Arethusa Class Light Cruiser (8) 82mm


9
10Light Cruiser – based on the Weymouth Class (Light) Protected Cruiser (4) 77mm – Actually a Light      Cruiser and usable for the Bristol (5), Chatham (6), Birmingham (4) and Birkenhead (2) classes.


10
11Early Battle Cruiser – based on the Invincible Class Battle Cruiser (3) 93mm – This looks more like the follow on Indefatigable class but has the turrets in the wrong place – the two innermost were ‘wing’ turrets


11
12. Early Dreadnought – based on H.M.S. Dreadnought (1) 83mm – Also usable for the Bellerophon (3) and St Vincent (3) classes although the tripod mast was ahead of the fore funnel rather than aft as in the Dreadnought herself.

12
13. Late Protected Cruiser – described as an Early Turret Battleship 69mm – Actually a 3 funnelled cruiser suitable for use as Challenger (2), Hermes (3), Arrogant (4) and Topaze (4) classes. Also usable for the German Bremen class (7). 

13
14. Early Protected cruiser – described as an Early Turret Battleship 67mm - Actually a 2 funnelled cruiser suitable for use as Edgar (7), Royal Arthur (2) and Blake (2).  Also usable for the German Gazelle class (10) 

14
15. Transport Ship 71mm – Typical merchant steamer.


15
16. Transport Ship 66mm – Smaller merchant steamer


16
17. Transport Ship  – Typical small steamer described as a Minesweeper 36mm


17
18. Victoria and Albert Royal Yacht 75mm – Victoria and Albert III, launched in 1901.


18
19. Destroyer 46mm


19 
20. Destroyer 47mm


20
21. Destroyer 45mm  


21 
22. Destroyer 46mm  


22 
23. Destroyer 50mm   


23
24. Destroyer 53mm


24
All the destroyers are typical of the various designs built for the Royal Navy culminating with the largest being settled on in the ‘River’ class -  most which are represented by model number 24.

25. Submarine 42mm – Typical early period submarine.


25
26. Submarine 45mm – Typical later period submarine.


26....the end?


      There you have it - the full range with pictures (as mentioned, for prices you will need to check with Caliver Books) and it is fairly safe to say that these models are not going to win any prizes for technical detail and accuracy but what they lack in this area they surely make up for with pure 'old school' charm! 

18 comments:

Jim Duncan Wargamer said...

GOSH!!

I may have to have a good think about these.

I can see a set of rules forming in my head already.

Any sign of some opponents?

Jim

David Crook said...

Hi Jim,

Sadly not at the moment but should the range take off then I think that Dave Ryan may add a few extras to them. The beauty of the earlier models is that they are suitably generic looking so could serve with a variety of navies if you were not too picky. Failing that, go down the imagi-nation route and create a pair of navies with what is available.

I used a number of these models for a couple of play tests of my MoBaS rules a while ago and they are fine for use on Hexon or similar.

All the best,

DC

Unknown said...

An interesting scale. They do look good! Thanks for posting these ... Jeff

David Crook said...

Hi Jeff,

The ships are the same scale as those available for the Axis and Allies: War at Sea WW2 game so a degree of crossover is possible.

They have a very 'quaint' style about them and I guess that describing them as the naval equivalent of an old toy soldier would be a good comparison.

All the best,

DC

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

David Crook,

You are a wicked man ... I feel the urge to buy some of these models NOW!

All the best,

Bob

Paul O'G said...

Well done you!

Corporal_Trim said...

Now those look familiar ! Well posted, David.

Regards,
Steve

David Crook said...

Hi Bob,

Wicked is my middle name (actually it is Roy but you get my drift!) and the models do have a certain 'old school' charm. They fight very well under MoBaS!

Be warned though Bob - Minifigs warships are the pathway to many imagi-nations some consider to be unnatural....;-)

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Paul,

I am pleased to see them back in production but certainly cannot take all the credit for making this happen. Many people have contributed with information and so it is very much a cooperative effort.

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Steve,

It kind of feels like one those 'my work is done' moments but it would not have happened without a lot of help and encouragement from many people - with your good self up their with the best!

I will contact you off list as I need to discuss a couple of things ship related.

All the best,

DC

Sidney Roundwood said...

David,

These look very nice indeed. They've got a great deal of charm about them. Very splendid indeed - all I have to do now is resist temptation.... (as if!!)

Sean said...

Those figures look great. It's nice that you could put them up with full descriptions. I wonder why so many manufacturers and sellers can't seem to do this? It makes a big difference.

David Crook said...

Hi Sidney,

You could almost visualise F.T.Jane and his contemporaries moving these about using his Naval wargame rules - complete with port, brandy and cigars!

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Sean,

The descriptions are from the Caliver website and were penned by yours truly for Dave Ryan. It always make a difference seeing the model you are interested in buying in my opinion!

All the best,

DC

SteelonSand said...

Superlative listing, there, DC, especially with the details on the ship alternatives and varying classes, dimensions etc - an excellent resource, and quite a timely post for yours truly, in the midst of 'Minifigging' some ships of your acquaintance as I am!

David Crook said...

Hi SoS,

Cheers old chap! It also means you can see what the dreadnoughts look like although most of what I have does not boast any masts!

The details are a combination of the original Minifigs list and my own generic descriptions for the models and what they can be used for. I am compiling a table covering other navies as some of the models would pass muster (in a dim light!) outside of the obvious RN ships.

All the best,

DC

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

I'm saying nothing other than "another" naval scale ;)

Have fun

David Crook said...

Hi Geordie,

Very true but when has that ever stood in the way of good game!? The only problem is the lack of opposition but who knows? Dave Ryan may address this in due course if the range is successful enough.

All the best,

DC