From: Michael Blair <amfortas@h...>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 04:49:43 PST
Subject: Bases for your fleets
Bases I have just purchased a pack of large flying bases from Games Workshop
at 1.50 pounds for four. The bases are round, clear and 60mm (2.4") in
diameter and strangely come with four posts, each of a different length. For
capital ships these are ideal. It would be simple to paint or mark the new 12
course points on them.
As suggested by someone on the list I now have four sizes of brass tube
5/32. 1/8, 3/32 and 1/16" which will fit one inside another. My
starships all have pins mounted in them that fit the 3/32" tubing. The
smallest size fits the fighters and aircraft. Another innovation in the course
of construction is a jig to hold the brass uprights vertical in the bases
while the glue is setting. It is a simple wooden bridge with appropriately
sized holes drilled in it to sit over the bases. Something
like the ASCII drawing below:
||
========||========
== || ==
== || ==
== __||__ ==
== | | ==
With the largest 5/32 glued into the base by adding pieces I can either
have a ship mounted about 1" of the base or aircraft miniatures at any
height desired. They should also be perfect for 1/300 aircraft.
I was trying one out with 1 1/200th Catalina from Hallmark (Very nice)
and with the 6cm base the base could be used to represent its search radius in
a map based game!
The only problem is that even the micro pipe cutter I have cannot cut the
smallest two brass tubes so they must be done the old fashioned way with a
razor saw.
While on the topic of brass tubing a 1/300 H&R Karl with a long barrel
from various sizes of brass tubing makes a wonderful super-heavy
artillery piece for Dirtside. Incidentally I have unbuilt 1/72 kits of a
Karl and a 28cm K-5e Leopold that would make wonderful centre pieces for
a Stargrunt game. "You must disable the mass drivers for our troops to land
safely."
Fighters At least two British companies, Hallmark and Model Figures & Hobbies
make 1/1200 (well 1/1200 and 1/1250) scale aircraft. Hallmark is mainly
WW I with some WW I and interwar designs while MF&H have a more
extensive range, including the Convair B-36, Boeing 747 and a Blimp,
the latter two are the dearest in the range at 40p each; the cheapest is
a KA-25 Hormone at 5p and most fighters are 10p.
Though obviously intended mostly for naval wargamng they have an obvious
potential for space warfare, A Delta Dart would make a useful fighter
and an SR-71 a very scary one.( I wonder if they could be persuaded to
make a space shuttle?)
I am afraid I have no knowledge about US suppliers but someone is bound to.
Now I really regret junking my old Airfix 1/600th ship models. The
turrets, aircraft and other bits would have been wonderful. The Sea Vixens (?)
from the Victorious would have made useful fighters, in fact with the
tailbooms amputated that might have made useable B5 Raiders.