2500kgm3's Shipyard

SerialMoM wrote:

I love your ships.

Very fine modeling.

Are they stable enough, although they are made out of cardboard?

Sure they are! the main hull is usually made of two-three layers of 1mm thick cardboard, as these layers are used as a way to sculpt the detail, instead of carving in the cardboard. In the end, I also apply a generous coat of furniture varnish on these ships, so they are even more sturdy.

opaque wrote:

man you have made some really nice ships.
I´m looking forward to see your rowing boat. I hope you will make them in the chinese style.

Do you use your ships for gaming? I´ve found some old WD's with rules for battles with ships. I think your ships will fit there were good.

I have written my own rules for ships, but in my group, we have played Mordheim once so far, and we decided to keep them as static scenery in order to learn the rules without added complexity.

It was so much fun that I even considered leaving warhammer 40k at all, and focusing my hobby time in Mordheim only. Jumping rats crashing into the hull of the ships they were trying to board and going out of action were hilarious xD


But as I realized I have neglected this forum a bit, I wanted to deliver you a propper update of what has been going on in my fleet.

I decided to build a big ship for a big warband, so I went for a huge asian style ship with a steam wheel. (and probably some oars too, although I have not built them yet, and I don't find them essential)

Underlaying structure:









Secondary decks ready:



Steam wheel done but still drying:




Starting to build the hull...



Detaling of the hull...







And today, I finished the other side of the hull. Both the front part of the hull and the rear part of the hull are still missing. The "hut" in the center of the main deck still lacks a roof (it will be a pitched roof) and the masts and sails are still being worked on. (and then I must paint everything, of course)










That means, although I still have a lot of progress and updates to make, I am already thinking about my next proyect. Those who follow this thread since the very beginning will remember my target is to make some sort of "utilitarian scale" Dreadfleet, with several big ships, as many as needed for each warband my friends may have -and I am finding more friends each day that passes, so dwarves (ironclad), elves (catamaran), vampire counts (trirreme), norses (drakkar)... are all considered as ships I could build next- and scenery to get a good looking table. You might also remember I stated after my third ship, I would focus on getting a playable basic table before going on with more ships. After three more ships, I may get back to adding to the basic scenery, and repear this cycle for as long as I have money to buy cardboard.

What I had in mind originally was just reproducing some of the "island" pieces you get in Dreadfleet. And this is still considered. But this is still being built to play Mordheim on, and you know Mordheim is all about jumping from roof to roof to drop from a balcony on top of your enemy, and multilayer skirmishes. A plain rocky formation may not be as interesting as I would desire.

A rocky formation with a tower would be better, yes, but it is still a single, isolated What about an atoll? Such as the one in Waterworld, but with a pirate theme? Or a fortified stone city built in an atoll? could that be made out of modular, so I could make an atoll with a different shape each game? Could I even be able to make an atoll I could break and spread across the table and the pieces would still look good in isolation?

I have always been impressed with the level of collaboration I have gotten as a response in this thread when I asked questions, so I am inviting you to participate in the design of this scenery. Any inspirational pictures you can find and post, ideas, concept art... If you can doodle something, take a pic of it and post it for us all to see.

I can't promise I will use all these ideas and designs, but I hope some of your ideas will end represented on my final design

As you can expect my main building material would be cardboard, of course, maybe insulation foam for the rocks... xD

She looks LOVELY...I really like the paddle wheel. TERRIFIC PROGRESS!

The rocky islets can be interesting multilevel pieces with buildings clinging to the sides at various heights...like a Cornish fishing village. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination...AND, I'd venture to say, you have a FINE imagination.

Hi 2500kgm3,

it seems to be a lot of work, but it is worth every minute of it. How long do you need to build such a ship? I think your chinese style ship is the best one, because you don´t see it that often. You really did a good job. Sometimes i have to try it myself building a ship by using catdboard only. I like your Idea with the atoll. By reading your post i had the idea of buildig a harbor on a rocky Island with a lot of scaffolgings and cranes to reach the different levels. They all leaning on a clif, you will even be able to add some sort of watchtower at the top of the Island.
a little bit like this, even bigger


If you build your gaming table how big will it be to get all this wonderful ships on it (plus some kind of Island)?

keep on building and keep on posting pictures.



opaque

That new ship is just unbelievable! I think you are just showing off now and why not if I had your skills I would too. The thing is you make it look so easy but I can imagine all the mm perfect measurement not forgetting patience that you have put into this project.

I cant wait to see it completed is there any chance we could have a scale shot next to your other ships, it looks massive.

As for terrain ideas I think you should go for the modular style. Designing a multi level central island that is divided into four quarters could then be split up and spread around your gaming tables corners. you could make simple mountainous hills to fit the quarter sections into so they could be placed in different places away from table edges. this would then give you tons of options.... but a hell of a lot of work!

Love the new ship.

For Mordheim scale ship battles I recommend Warhammer Ahoy! (version 3) free on the net. WarbossKurgan and the Flame On lads also have an excellent set of rules for their Warhammer scale ship battles.

Otherwise I love figthing over shipyards and ships' graveyards with the big ships as scenery.

opaque wrote:

Hi 2500kgm3,

it seems to be a lot of work, but it is worth every minute of it. How long do you need to build such a ship? I think your chinese style ship is the best one, because you don´t see it that often. You really did a good job. Sometimes i have to try it myself building a ship by using catdboard only.

I don't work on these ships continuously, I assume I would be able to build a ship per week and a half if I did.

opaque wrote:

I like your Idea with the atoll. By reading your post i had the idea of buildig a harbor on a rocky Island with a lot of scaffolgings and cranes to reach the different levels. They all leaning on a clif, you will even be able to add some sort of watchtower at the top of the Island.
a little bit like this, even bigger


If you build your gaming table how big will it be to get all this wonderful ships on it (plus some kind of Island)?

keep on building and keep on posting pictures.



opaque

This is what I have in mind right now, which is loosely based on your design of rocky bases with stone buildings and scaffolding.

A lighter colour means a taller building, blue means masonry, red means tile roofing, brown means it's a deck made of wodden planks. Greenish grey symbolizes rock.

As you can see by comparison with the ships that I have already built, it is no small project. It is composed of eight "dowels" which are completely interchangeable and can be rearranged in any order, or in several groups of various sizes and shapes. Or even eight small fortified islands. My goal would be to build 12 dowels, completing the circle, but it's no easy undertaking xD

oh, it looks like a lot of work for you. But if you were able to make right the way you planed it, it will be a impressive piece of terrain (or eight or twelve). I think you do right in make it modular, it has the chance to build one after the other and use the completet ones while you were still building the rest.

I wish you good luck and the patience of a master to complete what you have in mind.

Guess what!

As I have realized my atoll project is a huge one, waaay bigger than anything I could do with limited resources, I have decided to finish one more ship before engaging on that undertaking.

Of course, this ship is no small project, either.

I have not been able to do anything new on the ship I have in progress, but I have finished the design of the templates of the new Dwarven Ironclad. I have sneaked some mountains and anvil motifs for the stern of the ship, while a huge dwarf face on the bow of the ship. Also, I used axes on the sides of the ship.

I can't even aspire to count how many rivets the ship will have.

I will try to simulate metal by just not giving any texture to the cardboard. The decks will be made of wood-like cardboard, in my usual style.

Here you can see the plans. The most intrincate designs might not ve visible due to the sheer size of the ship and the resolution of the image, however.

This will be by far the most difficult and time consumming ship I have ever built, since in some places, the detailing requires up to 10 different cardboard layers, while the most complex ship I already finished has no more than 6, and only in very scarce places. In addition, painting will be really hard, since there are some really hard to reach places inside the ship.

I just finished modelling on the ship (with no oars).

I might go straight into painting it. What do you think about it?

With the paddle wheel & sails, adding oars might be a bit of overkill...goo right to the painting. She's a BEAUTY!

I agree, paint it, its awesome as it is.

I find it really hard to believe its made out of cardboard, it just looks too damn good.

Even unpainted she is a real beauty. As Deaf said your ship don´t need oars. I´m looking forward to see it painted. What´s about your dwarven ship? Some wip pics? please!!

The Dwarven ship is still a proyect, and no work has been done on that one beyond design. I will start with that one as soon as this one is painted.

This third ship is finally done! and as you can see, someone has smelled the cheese stored under the decks! only the varnish layer is still to be done. What do you think? I have some work to do for University, but I expect to be able to start with the dwarven ship in a week or two.

Fantastic work on these ships! Makes me want to get off my lazy bum and go back to work on my own 1/2 finished project.

She is a BEAUTY. I would tend to go for a more colorful/gaudy paint job, but the subdued colors work as well. WELL DONE!

I like her alot. You could ad some chinese style sign to the sails. Very nice ship, but what it is even more important is:

THE DWARVENSHIP

who needs university if you have a DWARVENSHIP to build. Ask any dwarf, none of them will choose the university. University is for elves. A Dwarf will take his hammer, his anvil, some tons of good old dwarvensteel and will build a ship no one can defeat.
So beardling you have work to do. All your long bearded ancestors are looking at you. Don´t disgrace them.

opaque wrote:

I like her alot. You could ad some chinese style sign to the sails. Very nice ship, but what it is even more important is:

THE DWARVENSHIP

who needs university if you have a DWARVENSHIP to build. Ask any dwarf, none of them will choose the university. University is for elves. A Dwarf will take his hammer, his anvil, some tons of good old dwarvensteel and will build a ship no one can defeat.
So beardling you have work to do. All your long bearded ancestors are looking at you. Don´t disgrace them.

Be warned I play a Skaven Warband in Mordheim xD




So, here you have it, The birth of the Dwarvenship! -I think I am going to call her the "Wisdom of G'kar"-

Here you can see the rib structure for the ship, with a size comparison to the asian vessel:









And now, some of the plating that will go on the inside of the ship



And here you can see it on its propper place. I have also put some reinforcements for the ribs which will not be seen on the final product.

OOh man ... wow ... and with the materials you're using, it's like drawing an Atlas Map with Paint !!

no foam at all???

We're watching you

You've got a really unique way to build things, amazing stuff really!

Hurraay, the dwarfenship is comming!! She looks like every dwarfenmaid had to look like: short, strong and unbeatable.

[quote]Be warned I play a Skaven Warband in Mordheim xD

Be aware rat´s kin even the sea is no longer save for you the "Wisdom of G'kar" will bring war to you.

I have been told there will be a wargaming and roleplaying event on my University, and I have contacted the organizer in order to get some Mordheim games in.

Unfortunately there is not a lot of scenery there, so I said I would bring my boats.

But I would like to be able play in a good looking table in that event. They can provide me with two small buildings, but nothing else.

Therefore, I thought this would be a great chance to tidy up my scenery, and turn the foam I usually play in, into propper stone streets, in addition to create some buildings I could use in my garage games.

So I grabbed the foam I have stored (not as big an ammount as I'd like, unfortunately) and started carving the stone. The idea is to create several surfaces of different sizes, which can be even put one on top of another to create different ground levels.






Here you can see ammount of foam I have turned into cobblestone paving. I still need to paint them black (some pieces have already been primed) and then start giving them layers of grey paint in different tones. The rat ogre and clanrat are there just for scale.

This is a fantastic project, I will continue to follow it with great intrest! Thanks for sharing with us all.

That paving is awesome. So big!

Theo

VERY NICE! The board is turning out BEAUTIFULLY...a fine haven for your armada.
Good luck with The Event!