Naval Gazing Part 3 - a Closer look - Victory at Sea 1:1800 models from Warlord

I think I mentioned how I managed to get a look at the demo set models from Warlord's new "Victory at Sea" set from my local FLGS. They had been assembled in the store but I volunteered to paint them over the lock down. So I've now had a good opportunity to have a look at them, here is an update.

The models are 1:1800 which makes them rather bigger than the usual 1:3000 I'm used to for WW2. This has a couple of interesting points. Firstly, they're bigger  (doh!), which makes them easier to paint. Secondly the level of detail is way higher than you get with Navwar \ Davco, though I can't compare them to GHQ which I've never really seen other than in a breathless nose pressed against the glass sort of way. Main armament turrets and some other details on the cruisers is separate which allows you to pose the turrets or even magnetise them if that is your sort of thing. Having painted a few now I have to say 1:1800 are rapidly gaining my approval.

The models I have finished are a pair of Japanese Mogami Class Heavy Cruisers, and a pair of Fubuki Class Destroyers. The Mogamis are a good example of the way Warlord are presenting these ship classes. The Mogami is (apparently) the 1939 version, however the second model is her sister ship the Kumano in it's 1944 refit with lots more AA, and the model clearly shows the differences.

The USN side consists of a pair of the ubiquitous Fletcher class destroyers and two Northampton class Cruisers, the Northampton and the Chicago - again with different weapon layouts and dates. The bases are marked to that effect.

May need to rethink the deck colour

All the models were speed painted with (mainly) those new fangled Citadel Contrast paints, and touched up with "normal" paint and dry brushing. I think they turned out quite nice and really took no time at all.

The data card in the set is a standard fitting, with notes on the rear showing a number of different refit options. I have mixed feelings about this - the specific naming of ships within a class is quite "kewl" but what happens if I want to do a later refit of a ship that not one of the named selection - do I get a close match and trim the name off?? OK this is very much a First World Problem but it does detract from the "kewl" a bit.

Are the much commented on bases a problem? I'm undecided. They made the models easy to paint, and at least to my eye they don't seem too obtrusive now they are painted. I also think they will help protect the models from handling damage, particularly to paintwork which is the bane of small metal models, so that is good. However I mentioned in the earlier post about the base warping, and in the process of correcting this I snapped one almost in half - clearly misjudged the heat needed to make them flexible. On the other hand repairs were quick and easy as the two halves went together with superglue and the damage on the painted model is (almost) invisible - I'm going to put that down to heavy handedness and unfamiliarity with the resin material used.

I think looking at these now they are painted I am starting to warm to the models and the scale. VAS is not meant to be a game to represent Jutland - like GQ, but what it loses in the grand scale (Grand Fleet scale?) it does seem to make up for with more detail on individual ships both in stats and in the models. Should you rush out and buy fleets in the "new" scale? Well if you already have 1:3000 \ 1:2400 I can see that would be a hard decision and I would probably just wait for the rules to be released and use your existing models. If like me you divested yourself of your WW2 ships some time ago, or have never had any to begin with, then the new models and scale have a lot going for them. 

Once this current social distancing \ lockdown is resolved I will hopefully get some games played and a better assessment of the game as a whole. Til then, stay safe.