Joes Shop  | 22 Jul 2013 6:38 a.m. PST |
One of my fondest 'wargaming memories': at 15, taking the train to Floyd Bennet Field in Brooklyn to see my first naval wargame. The game was played inside a huge hanger and you had to wear/use binoculars to id the opposing ships.
Since then, I've always preferred 1/1200 as a gaming scale but the problem of available space/where to play remains. Over the years I've continued to purchase and build models for display. Last year when Airfix re-released it's 'Sink The Bismark' set I purchased one and built the models. Recently the 'lightbulb' flashed: my driveway. Long and wide it can be blocked off by parking a car across the entrance. I ripped some bases out of pine, 1/4" thick so the ships can be moved as easily as possible without damage or contact with the asphalt. Picture shows Airfix Bismark on the proto-base. I plan on painting the sides of the bases black-gray to match the driveway, masking, then sea-blue on top with a flag/label aft of the stern. This makes it a game dependent on the weather but I'll accept that tradeoff to game in my favorite scale. Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| ptdockyard | 22 Jul 2013 6:48 a.m. PST |
Yes! I have a huge Superior/Whatever collection and produce more Wargame level models in this scale as well. Just not coastals:) Dave G
The PT Dockyard
Http://www.ptdockyard.com |
| MajorB | 22 Jul 2013 6:51 a.m. PST |
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| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 6:53 a.m. PST |
Dave, Nice to know I'm not alone :-)! Off topic: I have several of your excellent coastal models in my collection. Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 6:57 a.m. PST |
Major: thanks for the link-the 'grass game looks like a lot of fun! Regards, J. P. Kelly |
John Leahy  | 22 Jul 2013 7:33 a.m. PST |
Never got into 1/1200. But I do game it in 1/700 scale.
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| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 7:57 a.m. PST |
John, Great looking models! Do you play on a table or-? Regards, J. P. Kelly |
 Virtualscratchbuilder  | 22 Jul 2013 7:58 a.m. PST |
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| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 8:06 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the link. Use of your patio-good idea! Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| John Leahy | 22 Jul 2013 8:47 a.m. PST |
Yes, I use a table. Last time was a 16 foot one. I have a lot of ships. A bunch (many boxes) of master class ships were given to me by a friend a few years ago. They are absolutely incredible! Thanks, John |
| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 9:20 a.m. PST |
John: that's great that you have the room. My table is 6' x 4' so I need to go outside. Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| Bashytubits | 22 Jul 2013 9:46 a.m. PST |
HA! you are not the only one to use a driveway for naval gaming. But my driveway has only seen 1/2400 scale, no one in our group has 1/1200th. |
| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 10:09 a.m. PST |
Bashytubits: I knew my idea could not be original! Question: how did you base the models? Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| Cheriton | 22 Jul 2013 2:28 p.m. PST |
Yes, 1/1250 for 1905 & 1916; 1/1200 for WWII. Been so for decades. So many ships, so little time. Started out crawling around floors of gymnasiums (Fletcher Pratt), social halls, etc. The last few decades no more crawling…a 23x 7 foot table. Cheers,  
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| Joes Shop | 22 Jul 2013 3:49 p.m. PST |
You guys with the big tables are killing me! LOL Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| Allen57 | 22 Jul 2013 4:12 p.m. PST |
I gave up on capital ship actions in 1/1200 many years ago. Still do coastal action in the scale. |
| Sundance | 22 Jul 2013 5:25 p.m. PST |
I do 1/1250 Coastals, but would like to get some of the bigger ships for actions that involved them along with destroyers. |
| Joes Shop | 23 Jul 2013 4:36 a.m. PST |
Interesting as I game coastal actions in 1/600. Regards, J. P. Kelly |
| Lion in the Stars | 23 Jul 2013 8:32 a.m. PST |
I'm just planning on Age of Sail (well, ok, War of 1812) in 1/1200. Less need for the whole basketball court, unless you break out the Battle of Trafalgar or Battle of the Nile! 1/2400 for WW2 (I loves me those Long Lance torpedoes!), though I could probably run all the way down to 1/6000 since we played at USN plotting-table scale: 1"=1000yds. |
| OSchmidt | 23 Jul 2013 11:32 a.m. PST |
Dear Joes Shop Of Course! I have several navies in WWI in 1:1200, including a large numbe rof Japanese and British. I love 1:1200. I even made a new set of rules for the WWII period that does away with the need for vast space. Love it. Also build scratch built ships in the period. Otto |
| Joe Legan | 23 Jul 2013 2:38 p.m. PST |
Love 1/1200 but I stop at the CL level due to space. Not as brave as the rest of you I suppose. :) Joe |
| ptdockyard | 23 Jul 2013 6:58 p.m. PST |
I did a game a few months ago with my USS Reprisal "Battle scout" never-was versus a Japanese convoy followed by two ticked off CAs. Played with GQIII in the living room floor. Ir worked OK. I grew up using Seapower with a 2"=1000yd scale so these things don't bother me:) The Reprisal sank the convoy and then took the starch out of the CAs with a 10" shell through one of their turrets. |
| Joes Shop | 25 Jul 2013 4:21 a.m. PST |
Otto: can you elaborate how you eliminated the need for space-? Regards, J. P. Kelly |
