And I'm pretty glad that I did. Back 30 or so years ago, long before I had ever heard of GHQ Fighting Sail and long before Langton some friends and I used to play WSIM with Valiant 1/2000 scale minis. There was even an official (I don't really remember if it was Avalon Hill's or Valiant's) conversion, ships took up 3 hexes instead of two, adjustments to range, etc were made accordingly.
Now some of the same friends and I are getting "the band back together" and building up our Langton fleets and getting ready to have some fun with 'Signal Close Action". But since we also play "Close Action" that appeal of the smaller scale has never quite died. And with the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, the appeal of playing what is to me at least (and I know that some will cry "Treason" when I say this) the linear descendant of WSIM, "Close Action" with the smaller scale ships is very strong. (WSIM was the "Official Wargame of the American Bicentennial".)
Of course a limiting factor with the Valiant line was the limited number of ship types, but I was surprised to see on their website that they are now making 54 gun frigates. It seemed to me that these might be good for the big American Frigates and the big British Frigates built to counter them. It was suggested to me however that this class may actually have been the two decker 50s, similar to HMS Leopard.
Well I finally broke down and ordered them and I must say that I think that they will do nicely as frigates, they definitely are not 2 deckers. While the Constitution class were nominally 44s, they always carried more guns than that, and the 44s already in Valiant's line didn't really work all that well. But now I'm champing at the bit to give these a go.
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