Five More and Fifty Not Out

From left to right a Union Frigate, two ‘old navy’ sloops and a war built sloop. The sole Confederate on the right is designed as a commerce raider inspired by the C.S.S. Alabama - the similar looking vessel alongside her is based on the U.S.S. Kearsage 

They took slightly longer than I expected but above are the latest additions to the ACW collection - five models in all meaning that I have reached fifty in total!

There are four ships for the Union and a single one for the Confederates. The three chequered looking ships with the rather natty white stripe around the hull, white gun ports and white masts represent what I like to think of as ‘old navy’. The larger of the three I shall be using as a frigate whilst the other two will be sloops. They are roughly the same size but there are some differences in the overall build. The frigate is five layers deep whereas the sloops are four. The rig for the sloops is also slightly lighter. 

The frigate (in the centre) has an extra layer of hull to her and her pivot artillery is mounted more towards the ships extremities than for the two sloops. Her rig is also slightly heavier

The number of gun ports is purely representational but overall looks pretty effective.

Hunter and hunted - just right for a dust up just off Cherbourg!

The other two are loosely based on the famous U.S.S. Kearsage and the Confederate commerce raider C.S.S. Alabama. These are later built ships and so are not only plainer looking but also have a reduced rig.

The remaining ten models for the build will be in two batches. The first of these will be started next and will consist of a pair of Union river ironclads whilst the Confederates will be getting a blockade runner and a gunboat. The final six - which are waiting on Warbases - will be a selection of gunboats for both sides.

I am really pleased with how these came out and they will help to round out my collection nicely. I have some ideas around the old naval wargaming standard of ‘Hunt the Raider’ so the ‘not quite’ C.S.S. Alabama will come in useful. Now that I have some blue water ships the potential for the collection is much greater. I also have the pair of C.S.S Stonewall types I can call upon as well. Some of the scenario ideas I am flirting with can be seen in the pictures below - there are two historical and one that based on an action from a different war but seemed kind of appropriate.

Day two of Hampton Roads with the frigate serving as the grounded U.S.S. Minnesota

One on one off the French Coast

An ironclad ram versus a frigate and two sloops - somewhere off the coast of South America. I doubt if either side will get victory handed on a plate....

So the collection now extends from the rivers to the high seas via the coast - there is a lot of good gaming to be had across this broad canvas and I intend making sure that I do!