Kotori87
Rear Admiral (RADM)
Posts:2279
 | | 20 Jan 2008 04:21 AM | | I gotta say that I think 1/144 is the perfect scale for Big Gun. It's simply the most versatile scale. 1/96 is great for heavy cruisers, but the battleships are too heavy for some people to operate, and you'd probably need a scuba diver to recover one after it sinks. Same thing applies to 1/72 scale. Every battle day in my club, an 80-year-old guy drives up and pulls a USS Alabama out of his car. He loads it up, checks the systems, then heads out to battle. Anyone who wants to operate a battleship in 1/144 scale is perfectly capable of operating a battleship in 1/144 scale. That same 80-year-old dude could not operate a 1/96 scale battleship, because it would crush his backbone into dust. I've also seen a 1/72 scale Bismark. That ship took over 200 lbs of lead to get it to waterline, needed to break in half for transportation, and STILL required a trailor to move around.
As for 1/144 being too small? I've seen 1/144 scale destroyers and submarines in action. They are just as viable combatants as battleships, cruisers, or any other ships. Like Gascan said, you've just gotta know which stuff to put in. And if you REALLY want additional firepower... I've heard rumors that a new type of high-efficiency cannon is being developed that takes up half the space and weight of current cannons. If you're the type to believe rumors, then getting triple-barrel reloading torpedoes in a Gearing or Z-boat might not be so hard as it seems.
If I had to pick only one scale to operate in, it would be 1/144 scale. It's just the right size to include every major class of ships, without being too big or too small to effectively eliminate one or more classes of ships as a practical combatant. In addition, there is already so much equipment and support for 1/144 scale ships, that it's a lot easier to get a 1/144 scale ship up and running than a ship of another scale. | | | There are 101 different types of people: those who understand binary, those who don't, and those who just can't count... | |
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Renodemona
Lieutenant
Posts:325
| | 21 Jan 2008 04:48 AM | | I agree with Kot here, after seeing the 1/72 destroyers sail around and fight, I was somewhat disapointed. I couldn't imagine what a 1/72 cruiser let alone battleship would be like to build. Fast gun, like big gun, is all about what you want to put in. If you put in everything. you might find your giant hull totally full without any leftover room for the random things that boats seem to pick up as they get worked into battling. I'd love to see a new style of BB cannon that's smaller and lighter, make those little DDs real nasty customers! | | | IJN Nagato
IJN Chokai
IJN Kawachi | |
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Stokamoto
Stokomoto
Vice Admiral
Posts:3730
| | 22 Jan 2008 03:12 AM | | These days with the Team Delta Boards and smaller more powerful batteries destroyers and light cruisers are appearing in greater numbers and making their mark on the hobby. I never considered destroyer years back but these days I would build one because the technology today makes it easier.
1/144 is a perfect scale. I can barely get my Yamato in the car I would not want a larger scale. | | | |
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Mark
Veteran
Lieutenant
Posts:479
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Rob Wood
Veteran
Ensign
Posts:120
| | 01 Mar 2008 06:41 PM | | I have a 1:144 destroyer (Fantasque). I now have it up to its top scale speed (46 knots), and I've just had triple torpedoes made for it (up until now, it's only had twin tubes on each side). I will be competing in the 2008 Big Gun National championships (NABGO) with this boat. It's stable, reliable, rides at the waterline, has reloadable tubes (5-round magazines) and a pump. Would I take on a healthy battleship with it? Only when I'm feeling reckless, or working as part of a team. Does that make it useless? No, but it's not going to win any battles by itself. But that is the nature of a destroyer. The way I see it, 1:144 is the perfect scale, because it's affordable and doable for most of us to effectively campaign anything from a submarine or destroyer, to a battleship or aircraft carrier. These ships are transportable by one person in even a modestly-sized car, and they don't require a lot of bench space to build or maintain. Rob quote:
Originally posted by CURT
These days with the Team Delta Boards and smaller more powerful batteries destroyers and light cruisers are appearing in greater numbers and making their mark on the hobby. I never considered destroyer years back but these days I would build one because the technology today makes it easier.
1/144 is a perfect scale. I can barely get my Yamato in the car I would not want a larger scale.
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Fire Power Dan
Lieutenant
Posts:345
| | 11 Oct 2008 01:11 AM | | quote:
Originally posted by Gascan
The WWCC had six battles this year, one per month from May until October. I would have liked to have many more. Having the battles once a month is nice, because it allows me to build only on the weekends and spend my weekdays talking with you guys. As much fun as it is to talk with everyone here, I'd rather spend my weekdays building and my weekends battling. I would also like to have battles all year round, but I'd need to have a heated pond before that'll happen (people don't like to go swimming because California is a very cold state :p ). There's a kid who just joined who will be getting my Cadorna as soon as I'm done patching it, but he won't be able to run it in an event until the first G&M in March, and the first battle isn't until May. I hope he stays interested long enough to really get involved.
Here's is some history again. In the 80s we battled every other week. We started at 10am and battled till 5pm if we had the vessels that could still operate.Started in May and ended in October. You just have to have dedicated people that will or can do this. | | | |
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Fire Power Dan
Lieutenant
Posts:345
| | 11 Oct 2008 01:31 AM | | Here is what I would like to see changed. Attitudes. No one is above anyone else in this hobby. Some people have different opinions and are attacked by people who do not understand or do not want to understand. Less talk and more action. I just bought this computer in February and I am amazed anyone gets anything done in building let alone fighting. There is fighting alright,but it is not in the pond rather at the pond or on the computer. You can see it in this forum. I am not an active member because of this. Why do I want to play if this is not for me fun. I formed WWCC in the 80s. Took along time to get the attitudes there are in the club we have today.Now let the dogs in. | | | |
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Fire Power Dan
Lieutenant
Posts:345
| | 11 Oct 2008 01:46 AM | | That said about attitudes. I would love to see a true Nationals. Every form of R/C ship combat in say a week. Small gun. Big gun. All scales. Sailing ship,Civil War ships,Pre-Dreadnaughts,World War 1 only battles. There is enough dead time between battles to do something like this. However two things have to be done. Some one has to organize it. 2 no club is better than the other attitude has to stop. This would be a forum to meet people from other groups and promote the hobby. Maybe the hobby would grow maybe not. Even at say the Maker Fair this could be done. There is a small gun group and 1/72nd group in California. WWCC officers invite them to the next fair. | | | |
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Fire Power Dan
Lieutenant
Posts:345
| | 11 Oct 2008 07:05 AM | | This hobby will never get big unless it comes out of the closet so to speak. Can I go to a local hobby shop and buy a kit or equipment for this great hobby? No. Are there books in abundance written about this hobby? No. What about sponsers like large organizations NAMBA and AMA to name a few? No. Look at the way R/C airplanes evolved. My dad did it in the 60s.He got plans like we do and built from scratch. Today if you do that it is laughable. The majority of people out there do not want to spend time building from scratch. R/C airplanes are a good example of an evolution in a hobby and how it grew. Maker Fair I would consider a start. Need a lot more. | | | |
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Reckless
Midshipman
Posts:37
| | 08 Feb 2009 01:20 PM | | I compare RC combat ships to that of submarines in the rc hobby... although the subs have become more mainstream in the past few years in the availablity aspect.... even still off the top of my head I can think of maybe 3 or 4 available "affordable" subs kits on the market
I also assosiate the same things that the Airsoft people run into purchasing the weapons they wish to use. selling a "rtr" off the shelf RC combat ship throws a big well being risk out there and the vast population will freak out as kids put these boats out on thier local lakes and start shooting things.
while I am aggravated by how hard it is to break into this hobby and get others interested ... on the other hand I am glad that it is this difficult as are alot of my local boating club members... the thought of anyone just showing up at the lake with an armed boat and planting holes in their floating peice of art (albiet in 'fun') scares the crap out of them.
when I bring forth the idea to members there has been some intrest but most of the guys I deal with have issues with their creation vanishing beneath the waves no matter how much it has been built to do so. after explaining different options and also the planning and restrictions involved I have 5 or 6 currently interested and hopefully this summer we can have a couple small battles to get some more intrest | | | |
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Phill Lowe
Ensign
Posts:189
| | 08 Feb 2009 10:29 PM | | My pet peve is the IRCWCC run placement rules. I haven't paid attention to MCWI so don't know if theirs are still pretty close to IRCWCC's or not. It should be easy for anyone building a ship to understand what you can and can't do with gun placement. Sections relating to guns exist in several areas and it is only the sum of these bits that gives you a clear picture of what can be done. Everything dealing with guns needs to be in a single section and rewritten in "plain talk" which is what WA state government is doing so that someone with a sixth grade reading ability can understand it without needing a couple of months of discussion to figure it out. This is doable! | | | WCC Minister of Misinformation. | |
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Iceman
Rear Admiral (RDML)
Posts:1186
| | 09 Feb 2009 05:37 AM | | take some time to word out the sections and I can propose a language change for the Re-Writing so it is easier to understand. Pm me with it. | | Rob A.
USS Alabama
USS Arizona
USS Saratoga
DKM Bismarck
USS John Brown
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYBG/ | |
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Phill Lowe
Ensign
Posts:189
| | 10 Feb 2009 11:52 PM | | I need an up to date version of the rules in an electronic form which I haven't seen in a few years... | | | WCC Minister of Misinformation. | |
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Iceman
Rear Admiral (RDML)
Posts:1186
| | 11 Feb 2009 05:07 AM | | I'll see what I can do. I am trying to get a set myself. | | Rob A.
USS Alabama
USS Arizona
USS Saratoga
DKM Bismarck
USS John Brown
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NYBG/ | |
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eighthgear
Ensign
Posts:92
| | 31 Mar 2009 03:53 PM | | For all I know of model warship combat (which is very limited, since I just recently found out about it), my view is that it does need to become a little more sport-like and unified. Currently, if I understand, the hobby is made of different groups acting on their own accordance, under the same rules in fast gun but different rules in big gun. I don't know if this is realistic, but I would like to see one strong organization for the US and possibly other countries. This organization could contain different classes, similar to auto racing, such as the "fast gun" and "big gun" class. Many different clubs, which could be existing ones that are willing to corporate, would follow the rules set by the organization, eliminating some confusion. The leaders of these clubs would make up and have a say in this organization, and would be the people making rules and voting on them. The sporting part of my plan is that since all clubs will have similar rules and play, they can award points to members based on the types of battles (all-out = 500 pts for winner, 400 second, etc, convoy battle = 50 pts per ship sunk, etc...). If all the clubs follow this system, than we could have a NATS on steroids like event where everybody can compete with each-other in a championship. The points from this final event combined with previous points could determine a winner for each class, best rookies, etc. | | | |
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eighthgear
Ensign
Posts:92
| | 31 Mar 2009 03:58 PM | | To continue on with my thoughts, this organization could be responsible for advertising, having a website, and possibly even a magazine. Have you guys even been to Barns & Noble or Borders and seen all the random magazines on the rack? Considering that people by "Photos of Ireland" or "Ultimate Jeep Offroading XXXX" magazines, I think people will be interested in a warship combat zine. | | | |
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totaldestruction
Ensign
Posts:133
| | 01 Apr 2009 05:12 AM | | 1/96 is made speifically for small things such as subs and stuff. for example, a 1/144 scale torpedo would be 2/16ths of an INCH! thats NOT easy to make lol! | | | |
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