Launching a long term project

Following on from my previous post I have taken the decision to formalise my Jutland project - by which I have set up a dedicated folder on the blog which will contain all posts relating to the progress of the same. To start with, I have drawn up a couple of lists of models needed and models currently owned - whether painted or under the brush. This was also a useful exercise in that it acquainted me with the ship classes involved. Thus far I have tackled every ship type except for the destroyers and the results were mixed to say the least.






Capital Ships: For the Royal Navy I currently have 12 ships under the brush - 8 battleships and four battle cruisers. To complete the capital ship category I will need to buy a further 7 models - 6 battleships (of which 4 are Stonewall metal models and the remainder will be from Panzerschiffe) and a single Invincible class battle cruiser. The Germans are more straightforward in that I have the remaining 7 dreadnoughts in stock and so will only need to buy the ships of the 2nd Battle squadron - the pre dreadnoughts. These will be from Panzerschiffe.






Cruisers: I will need to get all of the Royal Navy armoured cruisers (8 in all) and then some 24 of the 26 light cruisers present. For the Germans I can muster 1 of the 11 ships present. All of these models will be coming from Panzerschiffe.






I am planning this project on a top down basis and so the capital ships will be finished first, followed by the cruisers and then the destroyers. Whilst I was pretty happy with the capital ship side I was less so with the cruisers - I will need rather more than I had first thought.






Whilst I have not really given much thought to the rules I shall be using the issue of the space required has given me much to think about. I am hoping to be able to fight smaller actions (perhaps the outlying cruiser fights) on my 6ft by 4ft but anything larger will need an alternative solution. The floor in my man cave in the loft has a rather fetching blue/grey carpet and so this would give me (subject to some furniture being moved around) an area easily of some 7ft by 12ft. As you are already on the floor when you enter the loft it would even save having to get up!


The destroyer issue will be a major consideration as there were so many of them present. Luckily Stonewall feature an M class model in their range which will serve for a variety of types. The Germans are less fortunate though so Panzerschiffe and others will be needed to flesh out their escorts.