Build Your Model Ships at Crafts &More!

Jeff Hunt

Recreational wargames can cover a wide variety of subjects, from prehistoric to modern. Land, air, and sea. My passion is the Age of Sail or Napoleonic time from 1785 to 1815. This was the height of technology for sailing warships. Ships of the Line in large fleets ruled over all the oceans and seas.

Portsmouth Miniatures and Games, which I started in 1997, produces 1:900 scale Napoleonic naval ships, accessories, and rules for either reenacting historical naval battles or making up your own battles. Four ship sizes are available, representing small frigates up to the huge triple gun deck ships for your admirals.

“Bloody Broadsides,” the game I wrote, is a fast-moving, technical board game, played on a Hex Mat. The game can be played with as few as two players and up to as many as you can fit around the game table. Typically, we play with six to fourteen players, half on one side versus the other half. Players usually command one to two ships. Games last around three to four hours, including teaching time. For more information on how the game is played, go to my website, www.portsmouthminiatures.com.

Portsmouth Miniatures and Games offers crafting kits and accessories, or you can purchase them already painted and assembled.

Crafting the ships from kits will take between one and two hours based upon the skill and familiarity of the person to the product. I usually work on three ships at a time to allow for paint and glue drying time. The process involves painting the ship and mounting it onto the wooden base, cutting out and assembling the sails, mounting the sails onto the ship, cutting out and assembling the flag and pennants, then attaching them to the ship.

You can find me weekly at Crafts & More! in Room 104 at the CATC building on Wednesdays from 1 to 6 p.m. I will be working on my ships and will also be available to help you work on yours. I invite all of you, who may have an interest in learning more about recreational wargaming, to stop by.