Swan of the East: A Great War Naval PBEM Game - Players Needed

 

Hello friends:

If you've been following this blog for a while, you'll know that I've been thinking about a Play By Email naval campaign loosely based on the exploits of the German raider Emden in the first year of the Great War.

I'm happy to say that I have some campaign rules, a map, and some models.   I already have some players, but I could use a few more.  If you'd like to be one of the Kaiser's pirates and command a swashbuckling commerce raider, or if you want to run with the hounds as a dogged Royal Navy squadron commander, please let me know.    I might even have a role for someone who wants to be Winston Churchill, First Sea Lord, so they can hector and annoy the other British players.

Have a look at the campaign rules (Dropbox link here) and if you like what you say leave a message in the comments with your command preference.   You can also email me at madpadre (at) gmail (dot) com.  Please be aware that while I will try to keep the game moving, it will not be for those needing instant gratification.

I hope to have the spots full and the players briefed by mid-June, and play start in July when I'm back from two weeks holidays.

Cheers,

Michael

Back to the Denmark Straits: Some GHQ WW2 Famous Adversaries

 The naval minded among you will know that today, 27 May, is the anniversary of the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck.  It seems like a fortuitous day to show off these recently completed 1/2400 naval models from GHQ.

Bismarck and Prinz Eugen:

Hard to tell which is which from this angle.   You can see how the British were confused at Denmark Strait and mistook Prinz Eugen for Bismarck, as the silhouettes are very similar.

Easier to tell them apart in this shot.  That's Bismarck on the left.

And of course their brave adversaries, including the poor doomed Hood and Prince of Wales beside her, though for some reason steaming in the opposite direction!

There's something rather sad about the fact that of these four ships, only one would survive the war.

Not much to say about the painting of these models, I start with a medium gray (Americana craft paint), then cover it with Army Painter Dark Tone wash, then a light drybrush with a light gray.    I paint the decks using Tamiya Deck Tan, and then give it a wash with Army Painter Light Tone.  The Light Tone has the added benefit of adding hints of rust to the hulls.   The bases are handcut polystyrene painted with Americana Navy Blue, drybrushed with Americana True Blue, and then stippled with light grey to give the wave effects.  The bow waves and wakes are a mixture of white craft glue and light grey paint.

Hopefully I'll find time to do a Denmark Strait matchup using the Naval Thunder WW2 rules, though in my heart I know who I want to win!   

Cheers and thanks for looking.  Blessings to your die rolls.

MP+