Really good packing solution! 
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Hi @KoshtraBelorn,
Great idea about the packing/transport/storage! Right from the start you don’t need to worry about the models you have just painted. Thanks a lot for sharing, very useful approach.
Looking forward to seeing Basileans getting some colours!
Cheers!
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WEDNESDAY 30 December 2020
With the Orc fleet finished it is time to move on to the ‘Undead’ fleet. The Brettonian ships from the starter set were washed, primed and undercoated and I then set about distressing the sails. I used the electric hobby tool advised by Nick Williams (a Christmas present from my wife) to drill holes and grind slits into the sails. This was the first time the tool was used in anger and it seems to have done the job OK.
One essential health and safety warning when using a tool like this, that is not included in the instruction leaflet. If you are going to use the tool at the dining room table, ensure that you have finished and tidied up before your wife comes home.
I decided not to use the obviously Brettonian bows of the Elohi ships as I did not think that this would suit the fleet. I therefore replaced them with some other figure-heads from my bits box.
I also took advantage of today’s free offer from Mantic and downloaded the high-resolution map of Pannithor. Now I can plan my ocean-going offensive and there will be no stopping my fleet’s rampage across the oceans – or at least no stopping once I manage to work out how to avoid the sand bars just outside my fleet’s home harbour.
(For those who have not seen the Mantic offer, the map can be accessed HERE. Nice one Mantic)
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Nice.
Between you & Andy’s stuff, I’m getting the urge to get a few extra Basilean ships and raid the bits box for a variant fleet!
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FRIDAY 1 JANUARY
New Year, same project.
I got on with the Fleet of the Damned and selected a colour scheme. Originally, I had intended to use the green on the left, but this seemed far too jolly and so I tried various other schemes before deciding on the blue/grey scheme.
Three ships now nearly finished in the scheme.
Today I spent a happy hour butchering the sails of my Abbesses ready for painting tomorrow then just the ships in the booster fleet to do. They are currently soaking in washing up liquid.
I decided that I needed more sea monsters to keep Puff the Magic Sea Dragon company.
I ordered the Black Seas Terrors opf the Deep and they have now arrived.
You get 6 monsters in the box. Three of them, the Kraken, Leviathan and Sea Serpent will look good on 75 mm bases but I think the other 3, Narwhal, Megalodon and White Whale, are a bit smaller and might look lost. Never mind, I have a feeling that 3 sea monsters will be sufficient for now.
I have been impressed with the service provided by mail-order companies over Christmas. Mantic got my Abbesses and Basilean booster fleet to me very quickly and I placed the order for the Terrors of the Deep with Goblin Gaming on Tuesday and it arrived on Thursday. Even a model I ordered form Greece (you’ll have to wait to see what this is) arrived in 2 days. That’s not bad service!
Today also saw the Mantic blog giving an update on Armada for 2021. Looking forward to those XL ships! For those who have not yet seen it, the blog is available HERE.
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The shark, whale & narwal all fit nicely onto Small ship bases and would be easy enough to come up with some in game stats for them.
Like the colour scheme - the green would, in my view, have needed to have been far more “washed out” for it to have worked
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I tried washing dark blue over the top and I think a bit more might have worked, but I’m happy with the blue/grey.
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SUNDAY 3 JANUARY
A slow couple of days on the hobby front. The wife was keen to take down the Christmas decorations today. I said that is seems pointless to take them down only to put them back up again next year, but apparently it is not pointless and so down they came .
Anyway, some more undercoating and drilling of holes into sails today. A serious word of health and safety: if you are going to drill, cut and grind the sails of these resin models, please remember that resin dust can be harmful and wear suitable protective clothing, including a mask.
I also got on with the sea monsters, giving them a coat of paint and starting the base detail.
I started work on the prototype ship status dial. These are a handy way of recording ships’ current speed and are marked with Anchored, S(teady), B(attle), F(ull), G(rounded) and Surrendered. The base for the dials are old 40 mm circular bases. The dial faces are self adhesive vinyl with the letters and symbols cut out and are custom made by Gilli’s houSEWork. The needles are Idea-Ology game spinners. Just awaiting some small washers before going into full production for my fleet.
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For some reason, the Sea dragon reminds me of Big Bird LOL, my bad… i’m loving the Kraken.
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MONDAY 4 DECEMBER
Sea Monster day! Puff the Magic Sea Dragon and friends now ready to play.
XXXX
More modelling supplies arrived today through the post. This generated the following discussion:
WIFE: Is that more money you have spent on your models? We won’t be able to afford to eat this month.
ME: Of course we will. Look there is lots of food in the cupboard … oh!
Some time later.
ME ( on telephone): Hello Mantic. Tell me, do you do pot-noodles on Mantic points?
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TUESDAY 5 JANUARY
Finished the speed dials for my fleet. Here they are, set on Battle Speed, which is the normal starting speed. However, early experience suggests that setting them initially to Grounded might save time as that seems to be my fleet’s favourite status.
I also completed my display board, which doubles as a harbour in the Plant the Flag scenario. So here is my 250 point Orc fleet about to set sail on their maiden mission. (Of course, this assumes that they will be able to get out of the harbour without colliding with each other.)
More work today on the Dread Fleet and that is nearing completion. It is ironic that I have just about finished the hobby work on my fleets just as we go into another lockdown period. Oh well, perhaps I will have to face building and painting the 4 Goblin Rabble hordes that I have been using on UB.
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TUESDAY 5 JANUARY - APPENDIX
One thing I have noticed during this intense period of modelling is that I frequently get so much super glue on my thumb that my phone security thumb print does not work. After much frustration, I have found a solution. I have now programmed my phone’s security to accept my nose-print. This is also really helpful when it is cold outside as I can unlock my phone without having to take my gloves off.
This should work for anyone - unless you are like Adrian Mole, who in an epic misunderstanding of the concept of glue-sniffing managed to glue an Airfix model Spitfire to his nose.
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Where was the triton statue from?
If that’s 250 have you gone for a decent amount of upgrades & veteran crew on the smashers?
The statue of Poseidon was from Greece (https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/eurobuywithconfidence). Fleet has several upgrades.
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Looks great! I kind of expected that the statue’s head would be replaced with an orc one 
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WEDNESDAY 6 JANUARY
The Fleet of the Damned is just about finished. Four final vessels having their bases drying awaiting final touching-up tomorrow. Here’s some pictures of both fleets.
First up, the entire Orc fleet manoeuvres in confined waters. You just know that this will end badly.
Now some of the Fleet of the Damned, setting out by moonlight to hunt Orcs.
Do you think that someone should tell the Orcs that having a great big bonfire in the bow of your ship might give away your position at night?
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looking great
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Although huge fire in the belly of a wooden ship looks like a serious WHS breach, I think Orcs do not care about stealth tactics! Perhaps it is all intended and … you know … it’s a TRAP!
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SUNDAY 10 JANUARY
Final ships finished for the Fleet of the Damned.
I also made up 8 damage trackers
to go with my ships’ status dials
and also trimmed down the acrylic rule so that it reads from the end of the rule rather than having a small ‘overhang’ at the end of the rule.
I think that is just about the hobby side finished for now. Must be time to play some games.
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Great idea with creating your own fleet of ghost ships!