"Sinking ship markers, downed pilot markers and an oil rig" Topic

I raided the 'man draw' the other night (you know the one with an assortment of batteries, phone chargers which don't fit any modern phones, foreign coins and a set of allen keys with the one you need missing).

From this I gathered a biro (out of ink), and old visa card, a rubber (eraser, to our American cousins), cable ties and some card. A bit of cutting and pruning and I had what I wanted: a couple of sinking ship markers, a downed pilot marker and an oil rig.

Removing a ship from play when it's sunk always seems a little dissatisfying; I really want to see the devastation I've caused, at least for a couple of turns. Using old models, filed down to look like they are sinking, is one good option but I came up with the idea of showing the life rafts on a small base which could be placed alongside any ship you have to show that it was done for.

The base is a plastic room swipe card from a hotel. I always forget to hand them back, and now I realised how useful they are in my bits box I'll forget more often!

The rafts are thin slices of an old biro refill, crushed into an oval shape with a pair of tweezers.

The oil rig has an accommodation block carved from a rubber, a crane made of cable ties, a gantry from a biro lid. The platforms are bits of an old credit card and thin cardstock and the legs are from a biro refill.

Finally the 'downed pilot' marker is another raft on a small counter, suitably painted.

All in all a couple of enjoyable hours fiddling and painting.

Nick

Oh man, I am so stealing that downed pilot idea for our Malta 42 participation game next year. Don't worry we will credit you during the games!

Fatman

Yeah, I'm definitely stealing that "downed pilot" marker idea.

Sadly, I think I will be using the remains of my first IJN fleet to make my sinking ship markers, their masts and antennas have not survived the decade+ since their purchase.

They look good.

I might add a sea dye marker with bright green paint:

link

What is a "biro"? Research suggest that it's a ballpoint pen, but a pair of tweezers won't be strong enough to mash a metal ink refill into rubber rafts. That would require pliers.

Glenn Goffin
A Biro is a plastic throwaway pen the inner ink tube is made of thin plastic which, can be easily squeezed. They are also know as Bic's

Rubber Suit Theatre
RAF and Luftwaffe dye was yellow but that's a good idea.

Fatman

I like your markers. They really add to the visual appeal of naval games.

My sons and I have done something similar with our Man o' War fleets.

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Thanks guys – and feel free to steal the ideas, the whole point of this message board if for us to share and share alike after all.

RST – yep; really like that idea so I reckon that's one I'll steal!

DBerczerk – now they DO look good!

Glenn – and there was me thinking I'd been sufficiently bilingual by translating rubber! And yes, I know what it means in the US :-)

A biro is a cheap plastic ballpoint; the refill is plastic so easily squashed down.

It always amuses me when we get a language barrier between people who speak the same language. I was in a bar in Spain with an American friend once and there was a pretty girl wearing those things which go over one's shoulders and hold one's trousers up. I said, "there's something strangely attractive about a girl wearing braces", as we call them. He looked at me oddly, thinking I was talking about the things that straighten teeth. I explained, and he said, "oh, you mean suspenders?". That made things even more confusing – suspenders are what I think Americans call a garter belt!

"We really have everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language"

Oscar Wilde

Looks great!

"two countries divided by a common language" George Bernard Shaw do we see a common thread? ;-)

Fatman

Those are brilliant.

Add a half-sunken ship to really press home the point, and crush the morale of your opponent(s).

This one's a two-fer, since you can get two sinking vessel markers from one hull, bow and separate stern sections protruding above the water.

I raided the 'man draw' the other night

Why can nobody spell "drawer" these days?
</GrumpyOldGit mode off>

Bozkashi,

I humbly apologize, Sir! I've been extraordinarily busy of late and thus haven't taken the time to comment on your recent Modern Naval posts, but I wanted to let you know that I'm following you and these have all been fantastic. I love what you've done here, they are awesome markers and implements for your games, and I've been greatly enjoying your Naval batreps regarding USN vs Iran in the Gulf, fantastic.

Thanks for taking the time to post, it's been lots of fun and very inspiring. It's pushing me towards getting off my butt and doing some modern naval, probably in the Pacific, with lots of islands and civilian traffic.

V/R,
Jack

Cool stuff! I'll remember this for future reference.

As for the "common language" problem, I once heard the following advice from an American to a Briton:

What you call the "bonnet" on your car, we call the "hood".
What you call the "hood", we call the "roof".
What you call the "boot", we call the "trunk"

And never, ever, EVER, tell a woman you'll come around tomorrow and knock her up.

Jack – absolutely no apology needed my dear chap! And thanks to Mako, Steve and NVDoyle for for the comments.

GurKhan – awfully sorry to offend your sensibilities. My bad, so to speak…

Cheers Nick some lovely stuff there, the sunk ship markers are reet grand

Regards Ken
yarkshiregamer.blogspot.co.uk

Very nicely done!

Thanks again for all the translating.

Some years ago, I was in London for a couple of days. I had such difficulty with the language barrier that I ended up taking my wife to dinner at a French restaurant, where at least I could use and hear metropolitan French!

That's an excellent idea perfectly carried out! Those rafts really create a feeling of devastation and make people concerned about those who survive. Thanks for sharing!