It's been a while...

[Ecclesiastes]

...since I've last heard some news from here. If I remember correctly the Battle of Denmark Strait had a release date somewhere in April this year before it got removed from the site. And ample forum posts pointed out that a 'host' of ships would be released this year. I'm a bit disappointed that none of all this came to pass. Since I can only order the boxed sets at my FLGS, I've just cancelled my Denmark Strait order since I placed it 6 months ago.

Just a bit disappointed... no news, no releases. I stirred up quite some enthousiasm for the game in my gaming group, but all of it has died now since nothing has come to pass since. Did Mongoose give up on the project?

 

[AdrianH]

The "Battle of the Denmark Strait" set is still on the release schedule, due to hit the streets in January. The schedule does not say which January.

It would be nice if, before Mongoose release the "Battle of the Denmark Strait" set, they design a model of Bismarck as it appeared during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. The current version shows Bismarck as it was in 1940 before completion, with half its 10.5cm guns and all its radars missing. Mind you, the already released "Battle of the River Plate" set shows HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles with the masts they received during refits when they returned to port after the Battle of the River Plate, so I'm not holding out much hope...

 

[rcbecker1]

The problem is getting pictures and such for the ships to get what you want for design. Its easy to say this gun gets added or a turret gets moved but finding art work of this is another matter. Which makes it hard to do what you want and I understand your points . Also very few if any company makes every varaint of ship.If they did they would have less ships to play with. I know because I'm one of the guys looking for those pictures and verifying accuracy of the models. I don't know what the hold is with getting out the ships but Monhoose has got a load of ships and planes already laid out and set in 3D' last count was over 150.
Ray

 

[Morsleib]

I don't know what the hold is with getting out the ships but Monhoose has got a load of ships and planes already laid out and set in 3D' last count was over 150.

They have the JKN destroyers ready to release in January.

Terry

 

[MongooseMatt]

Yeah, we have a lot of ships prepped and ready to go

They will begin filtering out this year, but stand by for a 'Grand Launch' at an as yet unspecified date....

 

[Morsleib]

They will begin filtering out this year, but stand by for a 'Grand Launch' at an as yet unspecified date....

So when will that be? :mrgreen:

 

[MongooseMatt]

We _really_ are not rushing this game. The new edition has already had nearly two years in playtest, and we won't release until we think it perfect

 

[leopard]

We _really_ are not rushing this game. The new edition has already had nearly two years in playtest, and we won't release until we think it perfect

Thats got to be a unique approach in the gaming world these day

Only issue currently is the difficulty in getting 1:1800 scale models to play the game 'now', the number you have apparently lined up is excellent, and the prices are fine, but unless you release the things you may find a lot of people use a different model range.

Mind you one suggestion on the models, reduce the thickness of the slab they sit on, its nice to hold them by but looks way out of proportion and tends to make what are beautiful models look a bit toy like.

On the rules, I can wait, V1 is good enough for now, but looking forwards to them.

 

[Morsleib]

Mind you one suggestion on the models, reduce the thickness of the slab they sit on, its nice to hold them by but looks way out of proportion and tends to make what are beautiful models look a bit toy like.

Can I put in a vote for that too. Not just the thickness but a lot badly need levelling. It looks like the resin cured at an angle. For other models I use 2mm thick plasticard and that is plenty thick enough.

Terry

 

[AdrianH]

The problem is getting pictures and such for the ships to get what you want for design. Its easy to say this gun gets added or a turret gets moved but finding art work of this is another matter. Which makes it hard to do what you want and I understand your points . Also very few if any company makes every varaint of ship.

Pictures of Bismarck are easy to find. There are some useful pictures here:
http://www.kbismarck.com/drawings.html

In particular, Drawing 1 and Drawing 5 show the differences between August 1940 as depicted by Mongoose, and May 1941 as seen in the Denmark Strait.

It is not necessary to make every variant of Bismarck. A model of the ship as it was when it went into battle would suffice.

 

[Ecclesiastes]

The problem is getting pictures and such for the ships to get what you want for design. Its easy to say this gun gets added or a turret gets moved but finding art work of this is another matter. Which makes it hard to do what you want and I understand your points . Also very few if any company makes every varaint of ship.

Pictures of Bismarck are easy to find. There are some useful pictures here:
http://www.kbismarck.com/drawings.html

In particular, Drawing 1 and Drawing 5 show the differences between August 1940 as depicted by Mongoose, and May 1941 as seen in the Denmark Strait.

It is not necessary to make every variant of Bismarck. A model of the ship as it was when it went into battle would suffice.

Will the Bismarck in the Denmark Strait set be the may 1941 version? Or could we substitute the Tirpitz 1941 version for bismarck?

Edit: in case of bismarck being the same version, what should I mod/add/remove to make it into the 1941 version? I'm not that much a rivet-counter that it is obvious to me what the difference is between the two versions...

 

[AdrianH]

In 1940, before completion, Bismarck was missing a couple of rangefinders and half her 10.5cm AA guns. This is how the Mongoose model shows her, which is bad news if you're trying to defend yourself against pesky Swordfish.

Tirpitz had a different deck structure around the catapult and funnel, as well as quad torpedo tubes on each side just ahead of the aft 15cm turret. These are depicted on the Mongoose model, making it a decent model of Tirpitz but no more accurate a depiction of Bismarck at the Denmark Strait than the model of Bismarck. (On the other hand, if you're going to have an inaccurate model of Bismarck anyway then you could use Tirpitz, then you at least have an accurate model when you want to play Tirpitz. )

 

[Ecclesiastes]

In 1940, before completion, Bismarck was missing a couple of rangefinders and half her 10.5cm AA guns. This is how the Mongoose model shows her, which is bad news if you're trying to defend yourself against pesky Swordfish.

Tirpitz had a different deck structure around the catapult and funnel, as well as quad torpedo tubes on each side just ahead of the aft 15cm turret. These are depicted on the Mongoose model, making it a decent model of Tirpitz but no more accurate a depiction of Bismarck at the Denmark Strait than the model of Bismarck. (On the other hand, if you're going to have an inaccurate model of Bismarck anyway then you could use Tirpitz, then you at least have an accurate model when you want to play Tirpitz. )

If you know what to look for its quite obvious

Lets hope there is a second model of the Bismarck in the Denmark Strait set. And otherwise there is some modding to do for me