From PeterD: German Asian Squadron 1898 (8 points)

 

SMS Kaiser leads her squadron.

This is a post of make do and mend modelling.  Admiral Von Diedrichs' German squadron based in Tsingtao China (now Qingdao) nearly came to blows with Admiral Dewey's American fleet in Manilla Bay.  It's the lost what if scenario for major European powers intervening in the Spanish American War.  Unfortunately, 1:2400 scale models are not available for Diedrichs' ships.  My Toy Story entry was his flagship SMS Kaiser.  This one will look at his other four ships.  In each case I used Tumbling Dice models for other nations' cruisers. 

First up the protected cruiser SMS Kaiserin Augusta.  For her I noted that the French cruiser Tage was a similar size and had a similar hull shape, but had different funnel and mast arrangements.  She served in the Mediterranean and was involved in some gunboat diplomacy in Morocco and Greece, before being sent to China late in 1897.

Kaiserin Augusta on the left, Tage on the right.  Not too different, I just had to move the foremast back and spread the funnels apart

Next the sister ships Irene and Prinzess Wilhelm, basically older and smaller versions off Kaiserin Augusta.  They escorted Kaiser Bill II's yacht early in their career, before being sent east to China.  I used French Linois class cruisers to represent these two without modifications.  There are differences between the designs, but I decided they were close enough for Government work.  And finally the gunboat Cormoran.  I used a Spanish Isla de Cuba class cruiser for her, it's a reach but it's what I had on hand and at this scale it'll do. 

Irene on the left, a Linois class on the right.  Close enough for me.

I have received some nice comments on my basing, so I thought I'd share my method.  I put my ships on 30x60mm pdf bases (2mm thick) which I get from Warbases or Sarissa.  

1. After priming, I do the base sea colour first using Paynes' Grey, which is actually a dark blue and has tons of uses.   It's an artist colour, so I don't that you'll find in the model paint ranges.   But then again I wouldn't know as I use artists' acrylics as my regular medium.  I then paint the ship completely before returning to the base.  Normally I'll need to touch up where the hull colour has slopped onto the base.  In this case, I have white hulls and wasn't too sloppy so I'll just use the white in the wave patterns. 
2. For the first layer of wave I mix Payne's grey with a bit of white.  You can look at aerial photographs of ship for ideas, but generally there will be a bow wave, some disturbance along the sides and then a quarter wave angling off of the stern.  There isn't really that much colour difference except at the bow and where the screws are, but it gives the effect.  Basically, I'm using colour to represent surface textures and depths.  I will also add general waves around the ship.
3. I then add some white caps using titanium white where I figure they add something.
4. Once everything dries, I use a coat of acrylic glossy medium.  It's a bit nerve wracking to use this the first time as it goes on milky white, which I think shows in the photo.  But it dries to a clear glossy colour.
5. I find Payne's grey gives a good deep water grey blue, but I'd use a different sea colour depending on conditions.  For my Anglo Dutch Wars ships I use a greenish blue and sculpt waves with modelling gel etc to look like a de Velde painting.  For ACW river actions you'll want muddy brown etc. 

Rambling over, I'll claim the 8 points for the 4 ships.  Together with the Kaiser from the weekend, this brings my European Intervention force over the 13 ships required for another Squirrel point.

Squirrels to date

1. Badass Pulp Heroines
2. Women of the Nordic Resistance
3. US Navy Spanish American War
4. European Intervention Spanish American War

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Sylvain: Another great example of your scholarship and craftsmanship in ships! I hope you will soon set up the sea mat and indulge us Reginans with a turn of the century naval game. Génial!