Cruel Seas Royal Navy Fairmile D MTB 624
I had the Royal Navy flotilla from the starter set already increased with the Flower Class Corvette, but I was looking for a mid-sized ship, that could be used in smaller to medium battles and went for the Fairmile D MTB.
The Fairmile D Motor Torpedo Boat is a british MTB, that was built by Fairmile Marine. A Fairmile is bigger than the earlier MTB/MGB (Motor Gun Boats), for example the Vosper or PT Boat, but slower in speed. They were named Dog Boats, and were designed to combat the more advantaged E-boats by the German Kriegsmarine.
Black Powder – Compagnies Franches de la Marine
The box of the Compagnies Franches de la Marine was published years ago by Warlord Games, but came into focus again with the publication of the black powder supplement "A Dark And Bloody Ground" for the French and Indian War. Various special offers from Warlord Games included this box, so it's worth a look.
Cruel Seas US PT boat
In the January 2019 issue of Wargames Illustrated (WI 375) they gave out a free sprue of the US PT Boats (or Torpedoes) for Cruel Seas, and cover an Elco and a Higgins PT boat each. The sprues are the same from the US Navy PT boat flotilla (included there 3 times). I have covered the other two plastic sprues for the game, the German S-Boats and British Vospers already here.
In the mid of World War 2, the US Navy only had 3 squadrons of MTB (motor torpedo boats) or PT boats (patrol torpedo) as they were named in the US. The US Navy had access to the Vospers due to a licensing arrangement with Great Britain, and roughly 146 units were build for Lend Lease and were exported to Allied Powers like Canada, Britain and the Soviet Union. Yet only 50 were used by the Roval Navy and none were used by the US Navy.
Dino(‘s) Crisis Loot 2019
As promised, my personal loot from Crisis 2019.
- Crisis Special Event Mini 2019
- Warlords of Erehwhon Skeletons
- Oathmark Goblin Infantry
- Garstufts with snow
- Basing snow
- Frostgrave: Perilous Dark
- Frostgrave Elementalists II
- Six halflings from the Bring and Buy
- Reaper Bones Mule
- Five barrels for terrain
- Sheriff Jimjohn from Shootout in Dingstown
Black Seas – 3rd Rates Squadron
In addition to the Frigates and Brigs from earlier this week, I want to cover the third plastic sprue as well - the 3rd rates. These are currently available as a squadron of 3 in a boxed set.
The name third rate comes from the British rating of ships of the line. A third rate ship of the line would usually have 64 to 80 guns mounted, thus making it less gunned than a second rate ship (90 to 98 guns) and first rates with 100 guns and more (so far only available as resin models by Warlord Games.), both usually have an additional gun deck, sometimes even two in case of the first rates.
Black Seas – Frigates and Brigs Flotilla
After expanding Bolt Action into the naval combat with Cruel Seas, Black Powder benefits from a similar treatment and is expanded into the Age of Sails with the new Black Seas ruleset. Warlord Games introduced three new plastic sprues with ships in 1/700th scale of which we're going to cover the Frigates and Brigs today.
These sprues are part of the Master & Commander starter set as well, but are available as a Flotilla for 20 GBP and cover two Frigates and four Brigs.
Cruel Seas Battle Reports
Last week I had beginning with sunday the chance to play a couple of matches of Cruel Seas.
Cruel Seas M-Class Minesweeper
After the decision fell towards the Flower Class Corvette as the large ship of the Royal Navy fleet, I was looking for a fitting counterpart for the German Kriegsmarine. My choice went towards the German M-Class Minesweeper.
The Minesweeper was in competition with the Marinefährprahm (basically a landing ship) and the Vorpostenboot. The landing ship would be something to keep in mind, if I wanted to extend the Operation Sealion / Gigant towards Cruel Seas. The Vorpostenboot is an armed civil ship, similar to the armed trawler of the British and looked a bit to improvised to counter the proud British Corvette. So the decision was clear, it must be the Minesweeper, Minensuchboot M1940.
Cruel Seas British Flower Class Corvette
In extension to the fleets of the Strike Fast! Strike Hard! starter kit I chose a large vessel for both sides. For the British that was the British Flower Class Corvette.
Among the large British ships would have been a Landing Craft Gun or the armed trawler. The landing craft looked more like something for the pacific and the armed trawler was a bit too close to the merchant tanker, and this is a Corvette, a Corvette! So the choice was pretty clear.
Cruel Seas Merchant Tanker
The Merchant Tanker is one of the firsts vessels that were available for Cruel Seas and has a cardboard stand in included with the Strike Fast! Strike Hard! starter kit.
As a "neutral" ship that could be found in service of every nation this kit bears the potential to be part of most scenarios, either as a mission objective to defend / attack or for example to claim its cargo. Merchant tankers had the objective to ferry supplies such as food, fuel, steel, clothing or munitions and weaponry.
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