Monday 4 April 2011

Anchors a-weigh!





One of the common characteristics of wargamers is the way in which we browse around looking for items which can be turned to 'useful' purpose. Early last year I happened to wander into a branch of 'The Works' during the lunch break. On a display stand was a box of packets for a game called 'Fire & Steel'. Each packet had two card ships in them along with a set of rules, a dice and a list of all the ships available. They had been discounted to clear and although I play very few naval wargames, I used the excuse that "they might come in for something". I purchased a couple of packets as a trial, made up the ships, a bit fiddly, but within my limited abilities and satisfied with them I puchased a further 10 packets over the next few days.


As usual with wargamers, the packets remained unopened in a drawer until a conversation about a possible 18th C campaign with a small naval element took place.

The result of an afternoon's fiddling is below.















The contents of the packets was random, but I did end up with some duplicates, as with these galleys. There were ships of various sizes, from those which could be 'ships of the line'
































to these small ships ideal for coastal actions

















Some of the ships are a little out of the ordinary, the ones below are 'bombardiers', possibly monitors? The forward gun is a bit out of proportion.









Anyway we will see what we can do with the ships; there are plenty of possibilities.

2 comments:

  1. Just as well that my local "The Works" closed down, however It was always a good source of cheap craft supplies and it seems that another franchise is about to be opened in Chester.

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  2. Wow! I want some of those!! Off to the Works tomorrow by the looks of it...

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