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Wednesday 22 April 2015

More acquisitions

Yesterday a courier delivered yet another Osprey book that I had ordered some months ago ... GUNBOATS OF WORLD WAR I. The book is part of Osprey's 'New Vanguard' series (No.221), and has been written by Angus Konstam and illustrated by Paul Wright. (ISBN 978 1 4728 0498 3)


The term 'gunboat' covers a lot of different purpose-built and extemporised warships, and Angus Konstam has included examples of all of them, from the Victorian flat-iron gunboats that were dragged back into service in 1914, through the numerous river gunboats that served in Africa, on the Danube, and in Mesopotamia, to the small monitors built to support coastal operation in the Channel and Eastern Mediterranean.

For a naval wargaming 'buff' this book has a lot to offer ... and as gunboats are generally simple vessels, they can be modelled quite easily (i.e. they tend to have a low straight-sided hull, a deckhouse, bridge, and funnel[s], and a heavy-ish gun [or two]).

On visit to a newly-opened branch of POUNDWORLD I found several packs of magnetic photo paper on sale ... for £1.00 for two A4-sized sheets. They are intended to be used by people to make their own fridge magnets etc. but it struck me that they could easily be used to make magnetic strength markers or unit labels for a variety of different games ... and at 50p a sheet it would not be too expensive a loss if one made the odd mistake or two.

I bought five packets!

10 comments:

  1. Gunboats are one of my favorite subjects. I will have to order a copy after work today. Thank you for showing it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bob,

    I have used those sheet magnets on top of my sabots (with steel pennies or sheet steel for figure bases).

    Note that you can paint the magnets without harming their "grip" so that they can be used to help keep figures stable (and they can be cut to size using scissors).


    -- Jeff

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  3. Jhnptrqn,

    They are one of my favourite types of warship as well. The real naval 'maids-of-all-work' during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

    I hope you enjoy the book when it arrives.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bluebear Jeff,

    I have plans to do something similar. I am presently adding thin pieces of steel paper to the undersides of my Napoleonic multi-figure bases, and most of my 20mm-scale individual figures are mounted on steel washers or steel coins (the newly issued 1p, 2p and 5p coins used in the UK are all made from plated steel ... and are often cheaper to buy than washers of the same size!).

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Bob- WW1 Gunboats looks a most interesting book by Angus. There is also a simular Title available about China Gunboats- or Gunboats on the China Station- very interested in Gunboats. KEV.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kev,

    I also have Osprey's book about China Gunboats, and I think that this is even better than that was. If you like gunboats you will love this. It contains lots of very useful illustrations and will hopefully generate a great number of ideas for possible wargames.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bob,

    One of the things that I've found with my "magnetic paper" sabots is that it does help to have a slight "lip" on the sides of the sabot. I use those thin square balsa strips but most anything to check sliding would work.


    -- Jeff

    PS, I also ordered that book on Gunboats . . . thanks for the tip.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bluebear Jeff (Jeff),

    Thanks for the tip. I may well try that method when I get around to making my sabot bases.

    I am pleased to read that you have bought a copy of the gunboat book; I am sure that you will find it very useful.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Guys

    Please be aware that some of the cheaper magnetic sheets have minimal strength in their magnetic pull.

    That may or may not be what you want.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jim Duncan,

    Thanks for the timely reminder.

    The A4-sized sheets that I have bought will have enough strength to be used as strength counters, but are probably not strong enough to 'hold' larger metal figures in place.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete

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