Want to build Fleet, Have Questions

[Apache]

Ok, so I know there are alot of threads about the New Imperial Flagship, but while this one does involve that set I have other questions as well, so I thought it deserved a thread of it's own rather than hijack someone elses.

I will start it off by saying that I returned from the Dark Ages with Castle on my mind and at one point back around the turn of the century tried to sell off my soldier and pirate figs to buy castle, but no one bought them and now I am glad that I didn't sell them, because I collect both themes.

My questions concern my fleet as it is and where I want it to be. I would have to say my overall goal is not to have 1 of every ship or multiples and I don't build my own ships using parts, I use them for display, play and creating mocs to take pictures of. I would like to have 2 solid Pirate ships and some ships to fight them. I also like the idea of pitting british against frogeaters and throwing some Spaniards in the mix... I would really appreciate the advise and comments of people who have large fleets and tell me what works for them, why they got rid of said ships and why they kept others.

Ok, what I have is

1 X BrickBeard's Bounty

1 X Caribean Clipper

1 X Armada Flagship- Builing right now

1/4 X Skull's Eyes Schooner Hull, and about 20% of pieces, no sails masts ect.

1 X Red Beard Runner -Building right now

1 X Black Seas Barricudda (Arriving via Harry Potter Trade this weekend)

Ok, so you can see I have a small start to a fleet. Right now I'm loaded on Pirate Ships and lacking anything to really chase them. I've always wanted teh BSB since my friend had it when we were little so I'm pretty sure that that one is going to stay, so things I am contemplating are:

Selling Red Beard Runner and Carribean Clipper to get Imperial Flagship?

I like the Carribean Clipper but it's going to be too small to chase BSB, right?

Buy parts for SES and sell it and RBR to get the Flagship?

Or do I really need the New Flagship, I could sell the RBR to fix up SES and buy old Imperial Flagship and throw extra mid sections in that and the clipper?

Or, fix up SES and BSB and use them as my Pirate Boats and turn the BBounty into an Imperial Boat like Captain H said in another thread.

I can't get rid of the Armada ship, even though it's tiny, so that one stays.

So hopefully you all can chime in and tell me what ships work for you and perhaps the people who have all of them can tell me which one's they would keep and sell? And finally, is the New Flagship worth selling of other ships to get?

Thanks for you time,

[SlyOwl]

I'm currently building up an imperial and a pirate fleet to be used in Brikwars (mixed with ESPG). However, I only own the SES and BSB. Hence, a similar dilemna over weighting.

The solution? Change the BSB flags to imperial ones, and you're done.

(apologies for the photo!)

In the foreground, you can see how I expanded my fleets: simple, brick-built smaller ships. All I bought for the one in question was the bow pieces (6 wide), rigging and ship's wheel; the rest are just basic bricks, on the whole (sails were home-made).

And on the left is yet another cheap way of getting a bigger boat: adding sails to a rowing boat. They follow the same pattern as the one in Enchanted Island, only they're home made too - hence much cheaper.

So in answer to your question, keep them all.

1 X BrickBeard's Bounty - keep it pirate.

1 X Caribean Clipper - keep it pirate

1 X Armada Flagship - keep it armada (although troops are very expensive...) - or turn it imperial.

1/4 X Skull's Eyes Schooner Hull - possibly make it imperial (build it up, but give it blank sails) - but probably keep it pirate

1 X Red Beard Runner - keep it pirate, but give it a more realistic look

1 X Black Seas Barricudda - make it imperial by changing flags

Incidentally, did you win that SES on eBay? Had my eye on it

[FelixTheCat]

I reckon SlyOwl has hit it on the head. The BSB actually makes a really good imperial ship simply with a change of flags and crew. I've got an imperial BSB with an extra midsection and mast. The cleanness of BSB always looked a bit too neat for the pirates anyway. SES is so much more piratey.

Carribean clipper can always benefit from an extra midsection and mast as well. Might work well as your French vessel.

Edited July 28, 2010 by FelixTheCat

[OneSnowTrooper]

Don't forget that with the POTC line next year there is a change they release a HMS Endeavour and/or HMS Dauntless.

[Tycho McKorley]

I say keep your collection and then buy an Imperial Flagship. My philosophy is the more ships the merrier.

[Captain Becker]

Don't forget that with the POTC line next year there is a change they release a HMS Endeavour and/or HMS Dauntless.

Ah the classic sips, i really liked the endeavour (if it was the small sloop or something like that in POTC1 wich Jack and Will "Borrowed") but i dont think (But i still hope A LOT at they do) at they will those ships but i really hope it would be true. I would buy tens and tens of them . Too bad at we dont know what are those up coming sets.

Captain Becker

EDIT: SlyOwl, can you say where i could get those sails in your small little Pirate sloops, Thanks

Edited July 28, 2010 by Captain Becker

[Apache]

In the foreground, you can see how I expanded my fleets: simple, brick-built smaller ships. All I bought for the one in question was the bow pieces (6 wide), rigging and ship's wheel; the rest are just basic bricks, on the whole (sails were home-made).

And on the left is yet another cheap way of getting a bigger boat: adding sails to a rowing boat. They follow the same pattern as the one in Enchanted Island, only they're home made too - hence much cheaper.

So in answer to your question, keep them all.

1 X BrickBeard's Bounty - keep it pirate.

1 X Caribean Clipper - keep it pirate

1 X Armada Flagship - keep it armada (although troops are very expensive...) - or turn it imperial.

1/4 X Skull's Eyes Schooner Hull - possibly make it imperial (build it up, but give it blank sails) - but probably keep it pirate

1 X Red Beard Runner - keep it pirate, but give it a more realistic look

1 X Black Seas Barricudda - make it imperial by changing flags

Incidentally, did you win that SES on eBay? Had my eye on it

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I do want to keep them all but really want that Flagship. Sly Owl, great job on those sails. I really like that idea and I think I will try to make my own sails for the SES. :) No, this one I found in a lot I bought locally. That BSB looks awesome as an Imperial Ship, I hadn't thought of that, thanks for all the input.

[SlyOwl]

EDIT: SlyOwl, can you say where i could get those sails in your small little Pirate sloops, Thanks

They're custom on both the smaller boats.

Here's the original files (haven't got one for the triangular sail on the medium ship) -

1. Paint cloth (reasonably thin cotton, but tight grain) with 1:5 PVA glue to water solution. Let it dry.

2. Open sail in Word. Zoom out until the A4 page is the same size as a real A4 page. Resize the sail to how you want it.

3. Put the cloth in the printer, and let it print. Pulling the back of the cloth gently as the printer is printing helps smooth it out, for some reason. Cut it out (the PVA makes this easy, as it stiffens the cloth)

4. Punch holes with a hole punch or leather punch.

5. To waterproof, paint again with (non-dilute) PVA.

6. To do double-sided flags, PVA glue the two sides together, then trim (I tend to leave a border around the edge on the original cut-out, so that I can trim them easily).

That's how I did all the flags and sails here, apart from the original BSB ones.

[Tycho McKorley]

I hate to hijack this thread, but is it okay if I use your sails and flags too? I've been wondering what to do about sails for my ship for some time, but I'd love use yours.

[SlyOwl]

Sure, use them to your heart's content!

I'm not sure if you've come across the Sail Library - all the official and some custom ones there. Mine are just edited versions of them, on the whole.

[Capn Frank]

I say keep your collection and then buy an Imperial Flagship. My philosophy is the more ships the merrier.

I couldn't agree more!

and I think I will try to make my own sails for the SES. :)

That's a good idea. SES sails are very pricey.

Here are BL links for Main Sails, Main Top Sail , Fore Top Sail , & Jibs .

[Jack Bricker]

There is no point in trading two great ships in order to get one great ship. I would keep your collection and enhance them with new sails, parts, crew, etc... My philosophy has always been to add to my collection not sell what I have to get something I don't have. Just enjoy what you have and if you get the opportunity to get something new, like the Imperial Flagship, get it and then you will really be able to enjoy it with you other ships.