"Got Your Own 15mm Wokou/Wako, Asian Pirate Crew?" Topic

If so, got pics?

Do yours look anything like this, with a little "Indonesian" flavor?

Or are yours more Chinese-Japanese in make up, like the type Cantonese Pirate Queen Cheng I Sao (Ching Shih) would have used?

TMP link

Or are they more strictly Japanese Wokou in flavor?

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TMP link

Just curious.

Dan
PS. My Asian crew is quite the mix:
TMP link
PPS. Also still looking for Abbasid Caliphate period sailors (c800 AD):
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I wish someone made the Japanese ships – I could probably scratch build them but it would take me years to build one.

Sundance,

Are there any specific images of what the Japanese Wokou ships looked like?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wokou

Were all the Wokou ships this barge-like in appearance?

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Or were they closer to the Shuinsen/Red Seal Ships (like Chinese Junks) in style?

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TMP link

Dan

Sundance
scheltrum.co.uk do a large range of Japanese ships in both 15 & 28 mm scales in their 'East of Cathy' ranges. Unfortunately the pictures in their catalogue leave a lot to be desired but ships are of top quality.

x42

Sundance,

You might also enjoy this article:

link

I agree with X42. I wish their 15mm East of Cathay range had at least a couple of real pics (actual photos):

scheltrum.co.uk/eoc152.html
scheltrum.co.uk/eoc151.html

But, if push comes to shove, a small barge-like craft like this might not be too difficult to replicate:

link

Dan

Sadly, none like that, which would be nice.

I do have some nice junks though, in 15mm, as well as the Black Pearl too. They are quite nice, and have enough room on board for a decent boarding action skirmish, as well.

I like the look of the ships in the pictures. I'll have to check out Scheltrum. Later Japanese ships were very similar to junks, but this was mainly due to western influence – they were built to resemble galleons and carracks. Earlier and more rustic later ships were distinctly Japanese.

The Battle of Dan-no-Ura, 12th century:

16th century:

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Early 17th century:

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Red Seal ship, mid-17th century:

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A Japanese illustration of a Portuese carrack:

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I also like these, which probably wouldn't be too hard to scratchbuild:

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And there's these Japanese ships from the battle of Sacheon:

The Scheltrum ships do indeed look nice. The 60% postage to Australia is however cost prohibitive to this project proceeding. So scratchbuilt it is. Alan

I did an image search for Japanese pirate ships and this was one of the results. Apparently a Japanese envoy (Kentoshi) ship to Tang China (7th-9th centuries AD):

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The one in the picture looks easy enough to make, for 15mm.

Dan

Here are some really boxy ones:

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The big one in the left is Atakebune, and one on the right is Sekibune.

Here's the story of a Japanese pirate captain on one of those Atakebune ships:

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Dan

link

Rokurota,

Dios Mio!!! That is unbelievable. Absolutely stunning.

Just found it here too:

link

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Inspiring work. I still can't believe it:

Dan
PS. I would love to make a similar sailing ship, like your "Hagetaka", but for 15mm gaming:
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Unfortunately the "Hagetaka" is not mine. :(

Rokurota,

But I still want to thank you for the link!

Also, what do you guys think of these Old Glory 15s Japanese peasants used as part of the Japanese pirate crew?

link

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Do you think they would mix well with these Eureka peasants and early retainers?

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Thanks,

Dan

Here's a neat line drawing:

Of this ship:

Dan

Guys,

Here's a very informative article on the construction of Chinese junks:

link

Dan

Perhaps I should consider adding to the mix these armed peasants from Museum Miniatures for Japanese Wako crewmen:

TMP link

These from VikingForge look stunning:

link

Dan