Monday 4 September 2023

Triremes Ahoy!


The component parts. Thanks to the suggestion of Kaptain Kobold the angle of the oars was reduced from 45 degrees to 60. I also took the opportunity to reduce the over length. The two sizes of cardboard strip are designed to go on the outriggers as either leather screens or more permanent wicker sides.


A slightly angled overhead view


The view from directly above showing the outriggers to good effect.

At long last and after several self inflicted mistakes I received the final version of my plan for a simple MDF trireme that would be no longer than 4 cm. Martin at Warbases must have the patience of a saint as this simple model has so far taken some four attempts to get right - mainly down to my skill (or lack of) as a draughtsman. Anyways, the final version you can see above so it now means that my planned Salamis project using a slightly ‘pimped’ version of the rules found in Richard Nelson’s book on the battle can enter next phase.

I am really pleased with this simple model and so the order will be going in for the sixty models I need for the battle. I will also need to think about some terrain and the all important hexed cloth (2” across the flat sides if you are interested).

There are plans afoot in respect of organising a battle pack to made available from Warbases but this is very much in the early stages so watch this space.

11 comments:

Ray Rousell said...

Looking great Dave!

Mark Cordone said...

Looking forward to seeing them painted and in action!

David Crook said...

Hi Ray,

They are simple and stylised but en masse will look the part for sure. Next phase is to order sixty of them, get a hexed cloth, finish off the rules, organise some terrain, paint the models and fight!

No pressure then….

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Mark,

So am I! Seriously though, the first step will be to order the models I need. Assembly and painting will be straightforward, as will the couple of terrain pieces I will need but my biggest enemy at the moment is time - I seem to have very little of it!

All the best,

DC

Martin Rapier said...

They look great. I have often eyed Captain Kobolds Triremes enviously. Will these be on general sale from Warbases? I had a look on the site but couldn't find any Triremes.

David Crook said...

Hi Martin,

It has been mooted about some form of battle pack with a set a rules included with models available individually if required but the key thing was to get the design dialled in. The end result will probably offend the purist but I am firmly in the school of ‘purely representational’ rather than detailed scale model! You only need to see the ironclads etc I have built to see why! :-)

I am quite close to having the rules ready - essentially a ‘pimped’ version of those in Richard Nelson’s excellent book on Salamis - and now of course have the small matter of ordering and painting some sixty odd examples of the above so it will be a while away yet.

Kaptain Kobolds galleys and galleons are really good and certainly inspired me but I was keen to to do something in MDF so what started as a ‘proof of concept’ exercise has turned into something tangible.

I will post updates on the blog as this progresses, albeit rather more slowly than I would leave liked!

All the best,

DC

Steve J. said...

Glad to see you've got the final design nailed down now David and of course look forward to seeing one painted in all its glory:).

David Crook said...

Hi Steve J,

You will not see one painted - the plan is to tackle the whole lot in one hit. I will practise on a couple though, just to get the technique dialled in but I am seriously looking at blitzing through them.

It should be fun…:-)

All the best,

DC

Aly Morrison said...

That looks like it works really well David…
I am looking forward to seeing it/them painted.

All the best. Aly

David Crook said...

Hi Aly,

I am rather pleased with how it has come out - I shall be playing around with paint schemes before the big paint job kicks off.

Then of course I will need to get the rules ironed out.

No pressure then!

All the best,

DC

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Oh!