Category: Military

Make for Periscope Depth

There is a certain mystique about the sea bottom and the metal boats that make journey into the abyss possible.

“I like sub commanders. They have no time for bullshit, and neither do I.”  -John Voight, as FDR in the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor. 

I wholeheartedly concur.

Jules Verne introduced the world to Capt. Nemo in his 1870 novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. His work has served as inspiration for Steampunk enthusiasts since the late 1980s, when the genre was created. I really like the 1954 Disney live-action movie version, starring Kirk Douglas. Although the special effects don’t really stand up to the sophisticated CGI tastes of audiences today, fighting the giant squid remains one of my favorite movie scenes of all time.

And submarines have continued to be popular for years.

As a kid, I walked through the U-505 German U-boat at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. It’s the only German submarine in the US, and it has been a visitor favorite since 1954.

My kids and I spent the night on the WWII submarine USS Cobia when they were in Scouts. It’s docked at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowok Wisconsin, and offers excellent educational overnights. If you ever get the opportunity, don’t miss it!

 

Growing up in the 70s and 80s, you may remember the kid exclaiming “You Sank My Battleship!” from the commercial for the eponymous Milton Bradley naval combat game.

“You sank my Battleship!”

As much as I liked that game, it was its lesser-known spin off that really took things to the next level. (Next THREE levels, that is.)

Sub Search was similar to Battleship; it played out on a grid patterned game board, used white and red pegs with holes in the tops of the ships, and involved a “cat and mouse” guessing style of play by opposing participants. But instead of playing on just a flat ocean, it features 3D warfare – on the surface, AND 100, 200, and 300 meters below the sea. Surface ships drop depth charges on enemy submarines hidden below them, while the subs return fire with torpedo shots. Similar action also takes place on the opposite side of the board, with roles reversed. Play continues back and forth until either player finds all of his opponent’s submarines or loses all of his surface ships. About the only thing not to like about the game is setting it up. Setup and take down of the 4 level structure takes about as long as the games themselves, and because of how much room it occupies, leaving it erect between gaming sessions isn’t really an option. Tedious assembly notwithstanding, it is a very cool game. Despite extensive research (like, 2 or 3 minutes on Google,) I wasn’t able to find exact dates, but it appears to have ceased production sometime in the late 70s or early 80s. I’m surprised it hasn’t been re-released at least once since then, with electronic score keeping or some other superficial gimmick riddled upgrade. I was able to get a complete one in great shape on Ebay several years ago.

From the author’s private collection. (Sounds much more prestigious than “One of my old toys,” so we’ll go with that.)

Until next time, Run silent. Run deep, my friends.

-Toph

 

Flying your Freak Flags

We often get together with friends to watch football. If we’re lucky enough that one of our teams is available on TV, we can watch at home.  Or (since they are often out of market,) we have to go to a sports bar. Some friends came over the other day, and my wife got a little football banner to put out on the front porch for the occasion.

Must be game day at our house.

I got to thinking (the activity that usually prompts these little literary anecdotes,) about battle standards and military flags. They don’t make a lot of sense now, except in parades or special ceremonies, but as recently as the late 1800s (and dating all the way back to the earliest days of organized warfare,) signs and flags were necessary to help organize forces. Imagine a football game, but with a few hundred players on each team, and no referees. Now take away the rule about “personal fouls,” and give all the players weapons. It would be pretty difficult after the first snap of the ball to get everybody to line back up for the next play without a way to signal to your players. However, with a visible rallying point that was brightly decorated with your team’s colors and symbols, you’d stand a much better chance of showing your guys where to get together and regroup.

Historical tabletop wargames usually include units carrying battle flags (think of the US Civil War Battles or Napoleonic Wars.) Although the contestants of the game can clearly see their miniature forces while standing over the table, the flags add both a sense of realism, and colorful visual interest to the field. The same holds true in fantasy and sci-fi wargames. Probably the most recognizable example are the ones by Games Workshop. So much so that the term “Warhammer” has been genericized to  mean any brand of tabletop wargames in some countries.

Photocopied from a 1990s White Dwarf magazine, just waiting to be deployed.

Since the early 1980s, Warhammer Fantasy Battle has included units with fantastical war banners, incorporating the glyphs and icons of those fantasy armies. White Dwarf magazine often had examples for players to cut out and use on their units. I have several of those magazines on my shelves. They are all widely available with a Google search for “Skaven banners” or “Dwarf battle flags,” etc. if you don’t already have original magazine versions.

Note the sample banners on the bottom right of this old Space Marine box set from the 1990s.

 

I really enjoy incorporating battle flags into my miniature units. They are a great opportunity to add a little colorful whimsy, and because I don’t actually play the wargames, I can use them in any way I choose.

I am NOT bound by your silly game rules!

GW goblin banner, painted by yours truly.

 

 

The first flag is one of GW’s ready made goblin banners, painted as if it were  a tiny acrylic coloring book. I found it online last week, and painted it the other day. It’s pretty simple, but also very iconic of the original fantasy armies.

 

Smaller goblin, made useful as a mascot / standard bearer

This second one is a goblin that I 3d printed in resin.

I accidentally made him about 20% too small for the other guys in his unit. Rather than toss him out, I kitbashed him into a standard bearer, standing tiptoe on a little pile of skulls. I think he’ll be pretty cool once he’s completed.

Freehand Space Wolf banner, painted years ago on paper. Needs a little freshening up.

This third example is a freehand Space Marine Grey Wolves banner I painted in the late 80s. The pole and attached miniature have been lost over time, but I found the flag itself among some loose, broken stuff in a box. The additional text that was glued below the wolf is missing. The paper is pretty thin and creased (in addition to the intentional battle damage I added at its inception.)  But maybe I can shore it up and make it usable. With a little creativity, it may yet again serve as a rallying point for some tiny pretend badassery.

 

-Toph