AdamC: French Frigate, Brig and US Brig (40 Points)

Continuing construction of my Black Seas ships which are now slated to make an appearance at Huzzah!Con in May.

First up is a French Frigate.  I haven't christened it with any particular name yet but it could be L'Insurgent a French frigate captured by USS Constellation making it a nice option doing double duty.

Detail work on the windows came out well.  The yellow of the French ships is easier to paint then black and white of the USN paint scheme

There was a French Frigate with the name Carrere very nearly my own family name which gives me another possible name for her.

My second French Brig Not much new to say here other than to note that her sails are printed on paper from a file supplied by Wargames Illustrated.

The Sails came out looking good and this will probably be my go to option when I need sails in the future.

Here is the full French Squadron Two Brigs, Two Frigates and a Corvette. 

Here we have another American Brig.  I used the AWI US flag because I always liked it and why not.

I now have three Brigs in the USN paint Scheme.

I've got one more Frigate to finish up that will be in Royal Navy colors.  Points 10 each for the Brings and 18 for the Frigates so 38 Points all together plus any extras for the various flags ect 

I also wanted to provide a picture of Tom's excellent Naga that I got for my prize at the Snow Lords peak. It arrived a few weeks ago but I haven't had a chance to post a photo of it and thank him yet.
-------
By Paul:

Lovely ships and those massed Frenchies look wonderful (and ripe for a good cutting out action!)

The USN ships look great too - little scorpions but with sharp stings!

Take 40 points with a few extras for the bunting

PS Great to see that lovely Naga safe and sound in her new lair! 

From AdamC: Piper's Peak USS Boston Quasi-War Frigate (50 points)

In the late 1790s French privateers (and some warships) operating from bases in the French or Spanish Colonies were doing a great damage to American trade. This hit Merchants in America's coastal cities hard causing both financial hardship and moral indignation.

 

Then came the XYZ affair where American envoys sent to Paris to address the situation were told that they would have to bribe French officials if they wanted any official attention. This touch the Nations honor and citizens of the cities of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island Massachusetts and New Hampshire responded by starting subscription campaigns to design build and fit out warships. Five Frigates and Four sloops of war were built this way. Its interesting to note several of these ships were started before Congress had officially responded to the XYZ affair and before the government had offered to buy the ships in exchange for government bonds.
 

 

The USS Boston was one of the ships built by this combination of Patriotic zeal and anger. She was officially a 32 Gun frigate making a small 5th rate by the system used at the time. She was also lightly armed for a frigate in that era carrying a main battery of Twenty-four Nine pounders and Eight Six pounders. Still she was made of the same Sothern Live Oak that made the Constitution so tough and her sailing qualities were remarked apon by several officers. She had a very successful career in the Quasi-War taking eight French vessels including the Le Berceau a large French corvette. This last capture happened after the never entirely official war had ended and was marred by members of the Boston’s crew pilfering the belongings of their French counterparts.
 

 

After the Quasi War the Boston carried the New Ambassador to France then did a turn with squadron dealing with the Barbary pirates before returning her name sake port. Then a final voyage to Washington where she was laid up in ordinary (mothball in modern terminology) sadly she was not well maintained and was deemed damaged and not worth rearming for the War of 1812. This is too bad as she would probably have done well as a commerce raider.

 

As you can see, I did some dressing of the stern and bow. The Blue and White is meant to echo the Massachusetts state flag's colors and seal. The ship is too small for me to do detail work on by I wanted to do something to suggest her identity.
 

 

Points should be 18 for ship and 30 for Pipers Peak with some possible additions for flags etc.
 

 

Finaly here is the US Sqadron as it stand so far Two Frigates, On Sloop of War and two Brigs. 

From DaveD - another fine addition to US fleet there Adam - lets call it 50 points

Adamc- French Brig (12 points)

Another Brig completed this one in the Yellow and Blue of the French Navy. She'll be a nice addition to the French forces for the Quasi-War.  

 I don't have a particular historical ship to base this ship on she could be one of several small French warships/privateers I came across the name Chien de Chasse (Hunting Dog) which I like so I'll call her that for now.

The ship has four flags and the three national flags can be switched out allowing me to change her allegiance.

Here is my French "fleet" as it stands right now.  It should be joined by one more Frigate and another Brig plenty of ships for any historical or speculative battle of the Quasi War.  The ship is 10 points plus any that should be added for Flags and rigging.

Your fleet is coming along nicely, will look great on the sea.

Martin

by AdamC: Brigs and Brigantine (40 Points)

Three more ships for Black seas.  These will be used a merchants and privateers.

Two standard brigs from warlord unlike many of my recent offering I haven't done any “surgery” on these. 

I kept the both ships in "natural" wood colors this one has yellow trim. 

The second has white trim to distinguish it from the other brigs.  Both came out looking quite sharp.  They will be used a merchant in a scenario I am working on for a game next month. I opted to use the revolutionary period US Flag.  The ships flags can be changed out.  

Speaking of Merchants here I present a creation of my own a Brigantine merchant.  A ship built from a couple of larger popsicle sticks, with coffee stirrers for the outer hull.  The bow is cut down from an extra frigate bow. 

The stern is made from an extra stern plate from a frigate (you get several more bows and sterns in each set) giving it a finished look.  She is rigged as a Brigantine a common ship type used for merchants from America.  Basically, she is rigged as a brig up front and a schooner in back.   For points we've been saying 10 points for the Brigs.  The Brigantine is about the same size so another 10 I'll leave the extra points (if any) for flags and scratch building to the Minion. 

-----
By Paul
Some lovely conversion work here Adam. I love that rather than "nailing your colours to the mast", you have made the flags interchangeable.  I'm sure their captains appreciate the opportunity to pull a ruse de guerre or two!  40 points for you Sir, including some bonuses for the additional work and details

From Adamc: Corvette Schooner (35 points)

Another set of conversion made from two brings "surgically" separated and then reconnected.   The main mast was again the biggest problem.  The main mast is actually slightly cocked to the side, I was able to get it almost straight with the rigging but it’s still there even if no one but me can see it (at least I hope you can’t see it).

First up is a 24 gun Corvette, a favorite light warship of the French Navy playing much the same role as the Sloop of War in the English and American Navies. This one is a little bigger than the Berceau captured by the USS Boston and then returned to the French and later captured again by the British.

I cut down an extra stern plate from a frigate to make cabin windows for which I think really adds something to the ship's appearance, sort of wish I had done it for the Sloop of War.

Here is the Berceau alongside the USS Delaware the corvette is slightly bigger 24 guns vs 22 guns.

Another combination of brig parts, this time built as a topsail schooner a popular design for trade vessels and Privateers.
  

I had to build the mizzen mast from scratch, and it came out look pretty good I think its a little large but not overly large. Rigging was a challenge on this one since there are no guides, but I think it came out pretty good. 

She's painted in generic colors because she will probably switch sides fairly often serving at merchant in need of protection.  

This ship started life as a 1/1050 GHQ ship a frigate, I believe it’s on the small side but should work as a small coasting vessel. The ships didn't have masts which made them hard to manages but this one at least now has new life. The jib sails are from tumbling dice the other sail is a piece of cloth.

Here are the two merchants’ side by side the smaller ship looks reasonable even if it started as a ship of a very different scale.  Points I figure 15 for the Corvette, 10 points for the schooner and another 5 points for the coasting vessel.  There are a few flags that might be worth a few extra points. 

***

Reconnecting corvettes? Sounds crazy, and I don't even know what a "mizzen" is! Well done Adam, you continue to impress with your nautical efforts. I'm going to toss in an additional 5 points for the general nuttiness of boat surgery, a home-made "mizzen", and all of the other conversion work you have done here to bring us these fine vessels.  Great work.  

GregB

From AdamC: Quasi-War Ships Constellation and Sloop (30 Points)

More Black Seas a frigate and an armed sloop.  The sloop (not to be confused with a sloop-of-war) was built using guidance from the "Too Many Brigs" by fellow challenger Guy Bowers.

First up the USS Constellation one of the "Original Six" American Frigates  One of the three smaller 38 gun ships (originally rated 36) and saw as much or more action as any US Frigate in the Quasi-War taking the L'Insurgente in a single ship action.  She later battled La Vengeance to a draw.  Her nick name "Yankee Race Horse" was apparently given by the French who were impressed with her speed (given that the French were known for building fast ships this is a compliment).

Detail shot of her stern gallery. I'm pretty happy with with the over all results.  I arranged the flag so I can change her allegiance if needed.  

Between the Frigates and Brig set and the Master and Commander sets I have lots of brigs so it made sense see how I could use some of them and as I mention above Guy Bowers' had some suggestions. I decided to make a single masted sloop. It can work as a merchant, privateer or letter of mark.

She might also serve as a revenue cutter. She carries 12 guns and should be prefect for representing smaller ships used by both sides of the Quasi-War.  

Points we've scored frigates previously as 18 points I think the cutter though smaller than a brig should be scored the same as brig because of the extra knife and glue work that is to say 10 points. Both ships have two flags and flags usually result in an extra point or two I'll call these 30 points in all.

***

More great "Black Seas" content! Well done Adam. I love playing games with sailing ships, but can only play games with sailing ships when others do all of the hard work of preparing the model sailing ships - so great job! Hopefully one of the members of our group here in Winnipeg jumps on this...

GregB

Adamc: Reidy's Reef Quasi-War French Ships (60 Points)

Black Sails is something of a hot new game I love naval games but had been shying away because I didn't think anyone in my circle would jump into it. then I saw JohnM was building a Spanish fleet So I decided to join in as well. I picked up the "Master and Commander Set and then the Frigates a brigs set so expect to see more.

I decided I would focus on the Quasi-War painting up French and American Ships. The Quasi War is great because the engagement are small and only involved ships of the Frigate class or below.  I started with the French in part because I wanted practise before doing my American ships.  The French colors are brighter but simpler making it a good start.

This is La Vengeance a 40 gun French frigate that fought USS Constellation to a draw on the 1st of February of 1800 The ship was latter captured the British and had an inglorious as HMS Vengeance (Prison ship).

Here we have a French Privateer Brig that I have named Blonde (Fair Lady).  I didn't use any navy's painting scheme here I just made one up.

The brown hull highlighted with a yellow stripe running down above the water line and across the gun ports.

Unfortunately the ship looks becalmed as I didn't billow the sails it was my first effort and it a noticeable if not too major error. 

I magnetised the flags so I can swap them out so these ships can serve the Republic/Napoleon or Bourbons.  I could also press these ships into Royal Navy or American service if I need them I'm quite proud of this solution.  I'm pleased with the result on these the rigging was done by me and that was a pain but worth the effort. The ratlines come with the ships they work perfectly with the brig but need some modification to work on the frigates.

Points we don't have any particular scoring for 1/700 scale ships fortunately I am not the first to submit a black Seas Brig and the 10 points suggested (and awarded to Noel) seems reasonable.  

The Frigate is significantly more complex and larger so maybe 18 points?   I forgot to take a picture of the two ships so I borrowed a picture form JohnM's blog to show the difference in size and complexity. So if the above is accepted it would be 28 points for he ships plus another 30 for the map site so 58 points. 

Traveling around the Island

This is a new project with sails to provide power which are supposed to be grant some sort of bonus at this site. So 58 Point +Sails+New Project ???? I hope I don't look like I'm begging for points. 

This is great Adam, you are certainly on a grand tour of the island. The flag idea is a cool one and you don't need to beg for points, at this rate you will have been to every location and be looking for a new continent to explore. I'm happy with your points calculation and will add another couple for the flags