"Naval wargaming Royal Navy-style" Topic

Budget cuts may have gone too far as UK forces plan exercises using crude card ship models off Scotland.

link

To be fair this is not vastly different from the twig 'trench lines' or leaf 'woodlands' that my infantry platoon used to plan attacks, but we didn't publish the results for the world's press!

Surely they could have decent, permanently-available models for such events?!

No, that would get outraged headlines about tax payers' money being wasted on such fripperies – the hilarious bits of card are definitely the wise PR choice….

Reminds me of the early days of WWII, when the British were conducting drill practice, and planning to repel the German invasion, with sticks for rifles.

Hey Geoff, perhaps you should let them know about your 1/2400th line of resin naval minis, and offer them a military discount!

In the interest of UK-American relations, I'd be happy to send them a pack of 1/600th scale Typhoons at no charge, if needed.

Marvelous, thanks for the link. At the rate this country is going, cardboard cut-outs are all we'll be able to afford in a few years time.

Actually, at least on this side of the pond, paper product prices are skyrocketing too, so will no doubt soon be another unaffordable luxury, like food, gasoline, water, and electricity are now.

Hey Geoff, perhaps you should let them know about your 1/2400th line of resin naval minis, and offer them a military discount!

Now there's a thought (although they are metal, not resin). After all the army already have our tanks.

Good to hear they are metal.

That's the kind of 'sand table' briefing we used to do back in OCS, that is.

These are planning and briefing sessions rather than "wargaming" per se, so its important for the audience to be able to see clearly what is being represented by each model.

The photograph was yesterday's MOD 'Image of the day'.

I have a larger version of the photograph on my blog at link

If they had asked nicely, they could've use my 1/2400 collection, as long as they handled them carefully. Don't like the look of that guy walking among them!!

I was quite cheered to see them using models. I had thought it to be all computer modelled now a days…shades of Fred Janes. And I quite like the DIY cardboard simulator ethos as of course championed by the sadly missed Paddy G.

The state of the RN after decades of "reorganization"….. seriously, when you can't even run to the cost of a couple of Airfix kits to play with, what hope is there?

I'm the last person to say the Naval budget is anything but shockingly inadequate, but I think that photo needs to be placed in context.

It is simply part of the embarked forces orders session where they discuss which sticks go where. The marines usually carry a few bits of felt and 1/300th minis in a tiny grenade tin, and eke that out with twigs, bits of moss, etc, when ashore. So that one is quite ornate!

Its not like it the main ops room at PJHQ Northwood or anything…its actually an aircraft lift – so they won't be taking too long over the brief…

Don't get it. Does it actually matter what they use to plan stuff out.

I mean they could waste some money on handcrafted war gaming minis but at the expense of what?

Balls. They could be using Lego bricks as long as they get the just right. It's not like they've been sent to the desert in green camo. Or had to do basic training in their trainers.

Edwulf wrote:

Don't get it. Does it actually matter what they use to plan stuff out.

On the one hand, no, you might argue that any concrete object that facilitaties the planning and rehearsal process will do. I recall that when I visted the HQ of 3 (UK) Div, the divisional logistics officer planned the movements of the elements he commanded using toy cars lifted from his son's toy-box.

On the other, one might feel that it is vitally important for the MoD at once to commission a vast and highly-detailed range of accurate military and naval miniatures representing all present and future threats and allies, all faithfully modelled to a constant scale. This will not only provide employment to entrepreneurs of the Authenticast or Miltra mould, but preserve the toy-boxes of kids of logistics officers.

Provided that the entire range of models is made available to taxpayers at modest prices, I tend towards the latter view.

All the best,

John.

That can't be a briefing model… where are the compo tins?!

Sadly, most compo tins have fallen foul of the Elven Safety Kommisars.

'Baby's heads' (Steak and Kidney Pudding), for a long while my personal fave, for instance apparently contains so many trans fats and other nasties that if you fired it at the enemy they would have you up in front of the Hague for war crimes…..I think its now been replaced with a nice little vegetarian korma with brown rice sachet that would grace any Hampstead kitchen….

Sadly, most compo tins have fallen foul of the Elven Safety Kommisars.

'Baby's heads' (Steak and Kidney Pudding), for a long while my personal fave, for instance apparently contains so many trans fats and other nasties that if you fired it at the enemy they would have you up in front of the Hague for war crimes…..I think its now been replaced with a nice little vegetarian korma with brown rice that would grace any Hampstead kitchen….

Sparker – prefer cheesy wham bams personally :) but agree the tinned (i.e. proper) baby's heads are excellent (just expensive on the DMR!)

Ugh Baby's Heads and Mixed Veg with Cheese Possessed (shudder). Thank the lord for boil-in-the-bag.

prefer cheesy wham bams personally :)

Paul I know you as a man who appreciates fine dining and possesses a sophisticated palate….

Or is that just what you organise for everyone else?