Consolidated Micronaut Wish List 2009-2010

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary
Updated 2008-07-25
Don S.

[CA-68]

I would like to add votes for:
WWII IJN Kagero class DDs (this is a HUGE gap in GHQs line)
WWII IJN Shimakaze class DD (only one ship, but what a ship!)
WWII IJN Unryu class carriers
WWII USN Nevada class BB (once again, huge gap)
WWII USN Commencement Bay and/or Bogue class CVEs
And our brits need more DDs! +1 for the War emergency types
and more merchantment and oiler types, please!

Tim, playing with little ships....

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary

Replaced 2008-07-26

Don S.

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary

Replaced by updated list 2008-08-21

Don S.

[cbovill]

I'm expanding my air forces rapidly to support my fleets, and am running into some issues with aircraft that are missing in the GHQ lineup. So here are the aircraft sets I want to put out there for recommendation:

USN:
Carrier Planes #3:
Brewster F2A Buffalo Fighter (12)
Vought SB2U Vindicator Scout Bomber (6 open wings, 6 folded wings)
Curtiss SBC Helldiver Scout Bomber (6)
Douglas TBD Devastator Torpedo Bomber (6 open wings, 6 folded wings)

These are the planes that outfitted our carriers and land based Navy and Marine Corps units from the beginning of WWII until the Battle of Midway. These are very important. Many were also used by the British, Dutch, Finnish and French (outfitted carrier Bearn with both scout bombers).

Germany:
Land Based Air #2:
Messerschmidt Bf-109 Fighter (12 - 18)
Messerschmidt Bf-110 Fighter (6)
Heinkel He-115 Seaplane (4 - 6)
Heinkel He-111 Bomber (9)
Junkers Ju-88 Bomber (9)

This pack would be crucial to rounding out the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine air component. Right now Germany does not have a fighter available - HUGE GAP!!!! this set also expands the recce capability and does a great job of expanding the bomber force.

Britain:
Carrier Planes #1:
Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber (18)
Fairey Fulmar fighter (6)
Gloster Gladiator fighter (6)
Blackburn Skua dive bomber (6)
Supermarine Seafire fighter (6)

Land Based Air #1 Sub:
de Haviland Mosquito bomber (9)

Land Based Air #2:
Hawker Hurricane fighter (12 - 18)
Avro Lancaster bomber (6)
Vickers Wellington bomber (6)
Lockheed Hudson bomber (6)

The existing RAF pack should have the Swordfish removed and replaced by Mosquito bombers. Then a new carrier planes pack created as above. Also a second land based air to cover the bombers and fighters that are missing.

Chris

[saxophone]

I can't think of twelve ships I'd like to see, but I can think of two.

IJN CVL Hosho - Gotta fill out that Midway OoB you know.

IJN CL Tama - This is the Kuma class without all those torpedo tubes added to the the Kitikami and Oi. Tama fought in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands.

[cbovill]

Sorry about all the stupid smiley faces in my previous post. I typed the number 18 and a closed parenthesis and it converted it into a smiley face. So wherever you see that, it should be the number 18.

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary

updated 2008-10-12

Don S.

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary
Updated 2008-12-04
Don S.

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary

Updated 2009-03-30

Don S.

[av8rmongo]

Just so this list doesn't die I would like to throw another suggestion out there. How about the Soviet Sverdlov class cruisers. There were 13 completed, they participated in several "almost were" battles including the sparring in the Med during the early Arab Israeli wars and during The Confrontation between Indonesia and the UK.

If those are too modern for your taste how about the Chapayev class which would continue the fine line of WWII ships GHQ is making for the Soviets already. From that I could kitbash my own Sverdlovs I guess.

Paul

[jb]

USS Arliegh Burke Flt II Class

[Laevakutt]

The GHQ Production Year is nearly at an end and I would like to take this opportunity
to propose some ship design ideas for the 1/2400 product lines for the upcoming
Production Year, if I am allowed to be so bold. My ideas would not only round out the
already established product lines (for which I am quite grateful) but will add various
options allowing for greater versatility in scenario development. These proposals also
include hulls that were produced in great numbers or can serve in more than one navy -
hypothetically. GHQ is obviously a great company that knows how to please its
customers, I am certain that I am not speaking only for myself here. I have a
remarkable collection of GHQ and other 1/2400 products and enjoy these miniatures
immensely. In that tone, I submit this list humbly and as food for thought, so to
speak. Perhaps there are other modelers and gamers who would agree (or disagree) with my proposals and scenario ideas.

I was very pleased that GHQ introduced the Koninklijke Marine Line a couple of years
ago. It is not possible to do an early Pacific War scenario without the Mighty Dutch.
All of the significant programs are represented except two. Granted these were not
completed in time to fight. In order to give the Japanese a headache in January 1942 I
propose:
1. The Dutch 1047 Battlecruiser - There were to have been three of these 28,000 ton
beauties. The design was in concert with the Germans, and they would have roughly
resembled the SCHARNHORST class though with some very-very notable external
differences. The nice thing about this model would be that the three could not only be
used to hunt the Japanese cruisers in the Pacific, but could be also bought and put
into German colors - seized at the beginning of the war hypothetically. Granted, they
were never laid down, but it would be a what-if scenario, aides to SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU prowling convoys out of Brest or Norwegian lairs.
2. PROVINCIEN class cruiser (as designed) - There were two of these ships laid down
prior to the War. They were not completed by the time of the German invasion however. So again, not only could a person purchase these two 8300 ton light crusiers for The Netherlands Royal Navy, but they could also go under German colors as well. Germany overtook these two ships and classified them as KH1 and KH2, but never worked very seriously in getting them finished. They would be nice to have with DE RUYTER in the East Indies or with PRINZ EUGEN in the Baltic at War's end. Great scenarioes abound.

I was also very happy to see GHQ start a Soviet and Russian lines. I had some of both
from Viking Forge. The GHQ versions are astounding! I have a lot of duplicates now,
needless to say, but I have managed to incorporate them into the fleet one way or
another. We all know how ambitious Comrade Stalin was. Ambitious indeed, but not very practical. Between the economic constraints of communism and the fact that many of the naval architects and shipwrights fell victim to the Purges, many of the cool designs and good ideas did not get off the board or when they did it was much belated. That is where I would like to focus. Like the Dutch line, I think that the Soviet Navy could
be well wrapped with just a couple of additions.
3. SOVETSKII SOJUZ (Projekt 23) - As originally foreseen they were to comprise a class of ten 59,00 ton battleships, but only four were laid down. This class was to be the centerpiece of Stalin's oceangoing navy. The final version of Projekt 23 is what was
laid down, the previous version of 46,000 tons being redesigned. The four that were
laid down were laid down between the Summers of 1938 and 1940. In fact, one was
captured on the stocks by the Germans in the Crimea. It sort of reminds one of VOLYA
from the previous war. Nevertheless, there were indeed ten vessels ordered and that
would be very interesting to have in all theatres of operation: Northern, Baltic, Black
and even North Pacific!
4. KRONSHTADT (Projekt 69) - These were planned as a class of sixteen ships, however in June of 1940 this number was reduced to only eight. Nevertheless, if GHQ were to issue this model, I am sure that there are some "Stalinist" purists out there who would take all sixteen, am I wrong Comrades? Only two of these ships were laid down and with commissioning dates foreseen in 1942. These were the Soviet ideas generated from the Panzerschiffe and SCHARNHORST classes as well as the P1 design. Though the fluidity of information regarding German naval designs is sketchy and at times contradictory. An addition of these ships into the Baltic Sea makes for a nice recipe for latter war scenarioes or imagine the horror of the Finns early on. One of these was also captured by the Germans and disassembled on the ways.
5. STALINGRAD (Projekt 82) - As planned, there were to be seven of these ships. They were ships designed with war experience and due to difficulties in getting funding and the numerous changes in the design (not to mention the burden of communist economic bureaucracy), these ships did not get laid down until 1951. Even then, only three of them were ever laid down. Like the ZEVEN PROVINCIEN and the later SVERDLOV and CHAPAEV classes these ships could be packaged to bridge the gap between the Second World War and the early "modern" period. Perhaps GHQ could include optional after deckhouses in the case of the Soviet cruisers or optional weaponry in the case of SAMs. There would be the ability to build the models as designed - gunships or as later modified to modern warships.
6. CHAPAEV (Projekt 68) - Seven of these cruisers were laid down prior to the German
invasion in 1941. With just those seven that is already a hefty weight to pronounce
these ships to a scenario gamer. In total there were fifteen of this Projekt foreseen
and there were another four that were authorised and submitted to builders prior to
falling afoul of the need to defend Mother Russia. These ships, as mentioned, could be
issued in the "as planned" form with perhaps an additional after deckhouse or the like
in order to sate the desires of both the Second World War gamer and the modern
scenaroist. Indeed, these ships were completed with very little alteration even after
Great Patriotic War despite the delay in entering service until 1950. An addition of
fifteen, or perhaps only seven as laid down, cruisers into the fray would give the
German admiral interdicting those Murmansk convoys some additional considerations. How would ADMIRAL SCHEER or ADMIRAL HIPPER contend with these threats?
7. SVERDLOV (Projekt 68bis) - The Cold War is on! This class of twenty five (some
sources report twenty-seven) Cold Warriors is indespensible for those early post-War
sea control scenarioes. The Projekt 68bis is the 13,320 tons of improvement on the
10,642 ton hull of CHAPAEV. Though not all of these ships were completed, fourteen
were. That makes more SVERDLOVs than BALTIMOREs. In fact, one can think of these as the Soviet CLEVELAND Class. They are the multi-purpose Soviet light cruiser, indeed. These ships had long service lives and carried just about every piece of Soviet
ordnance and detection equipment available, even Red Army gear was mounted to these lovelies. As stated before with this type of "stradle class" comme ZEVEN PROVINCIEN, STALINGRAD and CHAPAEV, perhaps there could be modified deckhouses or armament/sensor suites added in the GHQ blister pack to make these girls interesting to everyone. Also consider how good your GHQ PRINZ EUGEN hull would look with modernized Soviet superstructure placed on top of it to stand in for a modernized LUTZOW comme TALLINN. Who amongst us has an extra BOLZANO hull and ZARA superstructure because we needed that distinctly faired in superstructure of BOLZANO in order to make a nice POLA?

Vivre comme Dieu en France. As one of GHQ's lines of little big navies, I think that
the Marine Nationale could be well rounded with the addition of just a couple/three
classes. Unfortunately, the France that conquered Europe in the early years of the
Nineteenth Century was a burdensome shadow hauled by the France that fought for her life against the Teutonic onslaughts from 1871 to 1940. Oddly enough, prior to the
Second World War (not so oddly when looked through late 1930s lenses) Italy was seen as the menace of the Republic. GHQ has a good representative line of French Second World War vessels. What they lack, is made up with the line from Viking Forge. These "other" ships are acceptable and much better than the Viking Forge line of Soviet ships mentioned above. I have all of the cruiser classes produced by Viking Forge that are not produced by GHQ. With the addition of GHQ details such as turrets (a pitiful
weakness of Viking Forge) and aircraft these vessels look quite good after detailing.
In fact, on occasion they have been mistaken as GHQ products! Nevertheless, there are three classes that would be greatly appreciated by many wargamers in the Mediterranean and South China Seas.
8. JOFFRE Class aircraft carriers - These two carriers were designed as such from the
keel up so they would be contemporaries in design history such as GRAF ZEPPELIN and
RANGER. These ships benefited greatly from British influence and were to have a unique flightdeck that can only be considered as proto-angle-decked. Only JOFFRE was laid down, her sister being delayed and ultimately undone by the War. With these two on the loose in the Mediterranean or present in the Caribbean or South China Seas that would add another dimension to Allied and Japanese planning whether France were to fall or not.
9. GASCOIGNE Design B3 (RICHELIEU-bis) - This battleship designed as a modification to the intimidating RICHELIEU class is incredible. The two turrets would be arranged with one forward and one aft more conventionally. She was authorised to the shipyard in St Nazaire and there were two sisters authorised to her newly-approved design in April 1940. We all know what happened in June of 1940 though. Indeed, none of the three were laid down. One is instantly reminded of CLEMENCEAU however. Who amongst us has not bought that third RICHELIEU from GHQ in order to have CLEMENCEAU, laid down in 1939 and scrapped in situ? If there were three GASCOIGNEs to be had, we would buy them, non?

The largest of the little big navies is certainly Germany's of the Second World War.
There are so many rich design plans that resulted from the Admirals' plans that evolved
into the Z Plan. There is also a rich batch of plans that had no hope but still
capture the imagination. The H-44 instantly leaps to mind. I am sure that we would
all add this monstrous improbability into our miniature Kriegsmarines by the sixfold if
someone would produce this beast. However, there are more practical German designs that came nearer to fruition than the H-monstrosities (though I would buy them by the armload if they were to made in 1/2400). Indeed, the most realistic of the Z Plan were the smaller ships. There were the M Class cruisers and the Spähkreuzers but there were also the likely heavyweights:
10. The O-P-Q Class Battlecruisers - These were a class of three ships armed with six
of the same 380mm guns that were carried by the BISMARCK Class. These ships were
improvements over both the Panzerschiffe and the SCHARNHORST Classes. They would be able to threaten convoys far away from Continental Europe thus forcing the RN to provide heavier escorts to the convoys themselves. This in itself could lead to some nice scenarioes to sort out south of Iceland in the vicinity of the MOMP. None of
these ships were laid down and in fact only one of these ships was ever ordered.
Unfortunately for us gamers, she was ordered less than a month prior to the invasion of
Poland. After 01 September 1939, the Wehrmacht had other things on its mind aside from major capital ship construction.
11. The P1 Class Panzerschiffe - In addition to the O-P-Q Class battlecruisers there
was a class of twelve improved Panzerschiffe proposed as a follow-up in the Z Plan.
Imagine if Admiral Raeder had followed through with the plan to envelope UK. Much of
what we know of today as Germany's war plan during the Second WOrld War came in the form of laments or regrets from Admiral Wegener published after the First World War. Some of the smae points are reaised by Admiral Scheer as well. Specifcally, Admiral Wegener posits that the reason Germany lost the First World War is that she was never able to impose maritime hegemony beyond her immediate environment vis-a-vis the North and Baltic Seas. This was because the Kaiser respected the neutrality of Denmark and Norway as well as Portugal and Iceland. In the Second World War, Admiral Raeder tried to overcome the restrictions outlined in his former colleague's book regarding the Great War. With the Z Plan and bases in the Azores and Iceland, the Kriegsmarine and Germany's destiny take on different complexions. With a dozen panzerschiffe at hand to base out of pretty much where-ever the scenarioes take you that ties down a lot of British shipping. Admittedly, they were never laid down, but can we in the Micronaut milieu live without our own alternatives a-la Wehrmacht '47?
12. MACKENSEN Class Battlecruisers - This class of four (six planned) splendid
battlecruisers from the latter half of the First World War represent Germany's ultimate
wartime battlecruiser design. Four were laid down, all after the war had begun and the
competition for resources was afoot. These 30,500 ton wonders of engineering were
armed with four double 350mm gun turrets and would have provided something special to those late-war sorties in which we can bring the High Seas Fleet into contact with the Grand Fleet augmented by the American squadrons GHQ has recently added to the new USN First World War line. Unlike HINDENBURG and SACHSEN (hopefully to be moulded in the future) this class was more than one ship each. These ships proved to be the pinnacle of capital ship development in the waning years of the Hohenzollern Kaiserreich. As an interesting footnote, there can be even more use for these vessels. Indeed, with the first three ships launched in order to clear slips and then the war ending a needy Netherlands laid eyes on hulls. There was an attempt by The Netherlands to appropriate these hulls as war reparations. War reparations to a nation not in the war? Of all the countries impacted by the First World War, The Netherlands did rather poorly though officially neutral. She lost much of her merchant fleet and was distrusted as a double-dealer by British and German alike (though the Kaiser did live in exile in Holland after the war). Another key fact as well, as always with The Netherlands in this time period, is the defence of the Netherlands East Indies. The 1914 Battleship program with Germaniawerft was to produce three battleships similar in appearance to BAYERN and SALAMIS Classes. The war interrupted these ships. The Netherlands, ever pragmatic and ever-opportunistic saw a chance to jump start their naval program and build a credible defense of the East Indies. These GHQ hulls with some modern deckhouses or some custom work would serve well in the East Indies in any Between-The-Wars Scenario, or even early Second World War. Indeed, one could throw most of Britain's battlecruisers at Den Helder after 1922 when she had to divest
herself of her First World War units in order to comply with the Washington Treaty.
For those of you who love GHQ and cannot get enough of their IRON DUKE Class
battleships, there was even a plan to stash these ships under Estonian colors in
Tallinn in order to act as a bulwark against international communism! But I digress...

So there it is, my brief list of a few models I would enjoy seeing soon in the GHQ
Production Announcement:
The 1047 Dutch Battlecruiser Design
ZEVEN PROVINCIEN
SOVETSKII SOJUZ (Projekt 23)
KRONSHTADT (Projekt 69)
STALINGRAD (Projekt 82)
CHAPAEV (Projekt 68)
SVERDLOV (Projekt 68bis)
JOFFRE
GASCOIGNE Design B3
O-P-Q Class
P1 Class
MACKENSEN

In short, which I have not been thus far, I think that these twelve classes would be
very interesting productions for GHQ and would round out their current lines of little
big navies or big little navies, as you like it. These are also not obscure classes
without technical support for the designers at GHQ. There is numerous source material
available to aid in casting these little gems. I am not going to pretend that I know
the miniature casting business, but I do know research. Sure there are numerous
classes out there to manufacture, GHQ knows what they do not make. I think that
rounding out the product lines should be a priority for the gamers out there. I also
think that a gebazillion different destroyer classes or modelling each sister ship from
a class is not as important as issuing as many capital ships as possible, especially
for scenario play. I would rather see RIVADAVIA or SAO PAULO produced (I would buy these two classes in a heartbeat by the way!) before more destroyers or frigates. In any case, hopefully my post has helped to generate some thought amongst the rest of you and you can have some more interesting and more rewarding games/scenarioes. To be honest, we all know that no matter what GHQ produces we will be eager to buy. Some stuff just is just that much more exciting than other stuff.

- Cheers

[cbovill]

Laevakutt,

I sense a very slight, almost imperceptable leaning on your part towards big battleships that never were. Can't place it, just a hunch.

All the power to ya!
Chris

[Donald M. Scheef]

2009-2010 Consolidated Micronaut Wish List Summary

Updated 2009-04-03

Don S.