Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Rigging the Pirate Sloop, The Disaster Edition

So I was working on the Pirate sloop, I have sorted out the standing rigging to my satisfaction. It looks right but leaves plenty of room to handle miniature (which is the reason for al this after all). I began working on the running rigging. On a real sailing vessels there is a complex web of lines that move the yard arms and another set controlling the sails. To make this manageable for gaming I had to severely reduce the amount of lines. I also had to keep in mind the idea that the masts will be removable from the hull for storage purposes.

This is where disaster struck. I had added some detail (a pin rail or three specifically) just to make the boat look better. The problem is that the pin-rails were glued to the hull. When I started tying the running rigging to them I neglected the idea that the mast needed to be easily removed from the hull (this after going to great lengths to ensure that the standing rigging was all detachable). I found that I had securely attached the masts to the hull via the running rigging.

I have to confess that a fair amount of swearing ensued.

The running rigging was all hacked away and is the waste basket.

Now I am back to just my standing rigging. At least the ratlines look pretty.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Rigging the Pirate Sloop

I have begun researching the rigging for the Pirate Sloop and came across this site quite honestly I find the amount of rigging on a real ship to be terrifying! A VERY LARGE amount of editing will have to take place before I can decide on the final rig. The Historical Naval Ships website is a fountain of information (OK I confess I wasted a couple of hours digging around on this site) If you are at all interested in Naval Ships take a look.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Let's Build a Pirate Sloop Rats! It's Ratlines!

I have always struggled with the balance between modeling and gaming, more so than some as I came to war gaming from scale modeling and I still feel "the urge" to add useless delicate details that add little to the value of a wargames model but satisfy my desire for it to be "just so".

Rigging on model ships is one of the sore points; none and the model looks ridiculous, the proper amount and it is unplayable. A delicate balance must be found. One of the trademark things about an old school sailing vessel was the ratlines, the rope ladders that the sailors used to climb aloft and adjust the sails. I have seen people use screening, netting and variations on gauze, some of which worked well enough in smaller scales. The problem being is that this is 28mm (heroic 28mm at that) which means that the real scale is between 1/60th and 1/48th. Far too large to even try to get away with using rabbit fencing or screening. For me at least there was but one path to follow; making it the way the real thing was done, in other words The Hard Way.


In reality it isn't nearly as bad as one would think, a bit of thought and preparation and it becomes a simple task (demanding of some careful attention but far easier than painting buttons!). As with anything that needs to be made to a regular size and shape a jig or frame is the way to go, see the picture below:


   The horizontal lines are 1/2" apart, the posts are arts and crafts spools purchased at Hobby Lobby and the board is just a bit of scrap plywood I had lying about the workshop, for a single-use you could easily use heavy cardboard as your backer and push-pins for the posts. The lower row of posts are the ends of the ratlines that tie into the dead-eyes (more of which in a later post) the two top posts are the ends that attach to the mast or crow's nest. As I am going to be making at least five sets of ratlines I opted for a sturdy  set up and glued everything solidly in place.


Friday, June 5, 2015

Rigging Plans, Sloop, Brig and Brigantine

     I worked up some simplistic rigging plans for three types of ship; a sloop, a brig and a brigantine. All of these can legitimately be built using the Pirate Sloop hull. I plan on building one of each, just to keep my fleet from looking like they were built on a production line.

   We start with my sketch of the hull;

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Let's Build a Pirate Sloop Side Note Rigging Information

I have been working on rigging plans for a sloop, a schooner, a brigantine, a brig and a ship but it is taking time. This link will give anybody who is in a dead rush to get on with their model some food for thought.

More can be had here as well.

I will begin posting my drawings as soon as I get them into a satisfactory state.

Anybody with a model in hand and in progress please email me pictures and I will post them to the blog.