Langtons, Skytrex and Salute

Sorry it has been a while since last posting, I have several things going on at the moment so less time for modelling and warranting! However, I have finished a couple more ships and managed a trip to Salute on Saturday. So, here is a short update!

So, one of the reasons I have been slower on producing ships recently is that I've had a few around but no bases, ratlines, pennants, etc to finish them off. Two were a Langton British 74 'Common' and a Skytrex model of the Santissima Trinidad. The visit to Salute meant I now have a nice pile of 16 ships with bases and ratlines galore so, as time allows, expect some more posts!

Here are the two ships, albeit unfinished:

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with them, especially now I've managed to get them 'finished' (apologies for lack of photographic evidence - you'll need to trust me!)

This might be a good opportunity to compare the Skytrex and Langton models, as it's the first time I've modelled a Skytrex ship.

Overall, the Langtons are a superior quality, which is to be expected given their higher price. The Skytrex models are softer, so more bendy, and lack a bowsprit yard which means you can spot the difference easily. The Skytrex also seem slightly smaller in terms of scale  - the Santissima Trinidad above is the same size as my HMS Neptune 98 gun where I would expect it to be a bit larger. Furthermore, you need to glue the jibs and spanker on to the masts, which is a little frustrating and less sturdy than a Langton.

However, that is not to say they are not good models. Once assembled and painted up, they look nice and for a tabletop game are more than acceptable, in fact look very pleasing. The detail is still nice on the decks, albeit not as crisp as a Langton.

At the end of the day, it's about cost - what you can afford. In pulling together Aboukir Bay I need upward of 30 ships, and at around £13 for a fully loaded Langton, that's a lot of money! Even £7-8 for just the hull and sails. Skytrex come in at around £4 cheaper, more so if you use netting for ratlines, print your own pennants and make your own bases. Langtons are a definite for the collector, but Skytrex are a better option for those more interested in wargaming or who - frankly - can't afford the Langton prices.

So, I'll have a good mixture of both in my game for Aboukir Bay - but once painted up, I may look to sell some of the Skytrex ones fully assembled and then use that money to replace them with Langtons!

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I did pretty well at Salute, and didn't come away with too many 'shiny shiny' temptations! One thing I did see were these plastic moulded islands from Amera Mouldings. At just over £13 for 5, I thought they were a pretty good buy. Also had to add a Langton Toulon fort to the shopping bag to put on them!