Dark Elf Corsair Ship

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If you would like to see one piece of Dark Elf Terrain built what would it be?

Poll ended at Mon Sep 21, 2015 2:18 pm

Watch Tower
4
14%
Gate
0
No votes
Temple of Khaine
1
4%
Black Ark Corsair Ship
13
46%
Nobels House
2
7%
Altar of Khaine
2
7%
Harpy Nest
0
No votes
Hydra Cave
0
No votes
Public Baths
2
7%
Treasure Chamber
0
No votes
Sacrificial Chamber
0
No votes
Barracks
0
No votes
Brothel
0
No votes
Cold One/Dark Rider Stable
1
4%
Library
0
No votes
Slaves Prison Camp
0
No votes
Arena
1
4%
Fortress
2
7%
Beastmaster training ground
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 28

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Daeron
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Daeron »

I googled around a bit on sails and shapes of sails. I wanted to know how closely such sails represented the real thing. The triangular sails fixed the way they are on the illustration are "lateen" sails, apparently, and they were used on Dhows (Arabian ships?) with a design resembling our Corsair ship. There were some deep-sea models, which were used by pirates.

But what the sails didn't have are those bars, apparently called "battens", mid-way.
The fan like sails appear to be called junk rigs. So it looks like a crossbreed of two designs. In Fantasy, that's an option. :)
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

I found this image from one of the concept ships for Lord of the Rings - it has a very similar design to our DE ship.

Yes I think the Chinese junk ships have a similar sail pattern to them as well.
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Calisson
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Calisson »

Not junks. Rather chebecs.
https://www.google.com/search?q=chebec& ... kgodDOgAtw
Chebecs were used by Mediterranean pirates, that seems a very appropriate rigging.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by direweasel »

Sorry, but after seeing this, every time I see that kind of boat mentioned, my mind goes immediately to this. So now, I'm sharing it with you all:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0418.html
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

@direweasel very humorous indeed - Don't mess with my junk!
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by direweasel »

By the way, if any of you don't read that comic (Order of the Stick), it is quite hilarious, and a great storyline too. Free webcomic, tons of awesomeness. :)
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

Does anyone have any ideas how I should base this ship?

I was thinking some 3mm MDF sheet cut in an organic shape very close to the hull - that way it would not have a big foot print and I could then lay it over the top of a flat water board 2x2

or should I just mount it on a rectangular board a bit thicker say 8mm 2x1 and have that slide up to other gaming boards.

or I could have it sit on no base at all and have it completely free to move where I please (I would not be abe to model/paint water/waves around the hull though doing it this way)

I was thinking something like in the pics below - what do you think?
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Crowsfoot
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Crowsfoot »

The base you have shown will work perfectly, last thing the boat needs is a rectangular base it won't fit with the feel of the boat.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Phox532 »

I like the base you have here. I think it looks more like water and you're going to get a better feel for the model with it.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Amboadine »

I agree, a more free form base that can be modelled would look good. The size you have sketched out looks about right.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by direweasel »

I know I'm not "going with the flow" here, if you'll pardon the little pun, but I think I quite like your idea of not basing it at all. I know that means you can't model any waves on it, but that's still my vote, for what it's worth.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Rowena »

I would agree with Direweasel and keep it as a free standing piece, then it could be put anywhere and look seamless.
Anyway, the ship is absolutely gorgeous, I can't wait to see it finished. Every day you're making me wish I had the time and skills for something like this, it's really amazing.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

Thanks for the comments guys - I'm still undecided which way to go.

I need to have a solid base to it because of the way I plan to fit the masts. (you will see in the coming steps)

I finished today after cutting out the abstract shape for the base and sanding the edges down on it. It came out fairly nice and the thought of modelling some water around it, splashing up the sides I think would add to the appeal. Also by having this option I can put in oars out of the side of the ship and glue them in place, plus a couple of other features I have planned.

Reflecting on what I have done today cutting it back to just the profile of the ship could be good as well (especially when it comes to placement on as sea board)

I could go real drastic with it and still keep the organic shape but have it real close to the hull (perhaps 10-15mm off the side), so I get a little bit of white wash along the sides of the ship.

You can see from the underside image that there is not much there, the ship is very light weight and sits flat quite well, with just a small section slightly raised of the ground. The water on the side could help to conceal this. There currently is not enough weight in it to support the masts and sails etc.

I'm going to sleep on it and decide tomorrow - any further comments are welcome though.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Phox532 »

Something cool you could is keep abstract base like what you have now, but put a hydra coming out of the water. I know that is a bit more to paint, but it could be an interesting tie in to the models and the sea theme that you have. I think there was a guy that have posted something where just the heads were coming out of the water, So you wouldn't have to us the whole model, just a few spare heads.
Last edited by Phox532 on Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

put a hyrda coming out of the water.


already ahead of you there Phox532 I have two spare tentacles from my Kraken that I did not use and was thinking of wrapping them around one side of the ship. I think it could add some drama to the whole thing :D
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by direweasel »

Cultofkhaine wrote:I'm going to sleep on it and decide tomorrow - any further comments are welcome though.


Honestly, I don't think there's a "wrong" answer here. It's going to look good whatever you decide to do with it. I wasn't aware that it needed to have a base for the mast and such, so obviously that would affect the answer too.

I will also throw out that I think if it were me, I wouldn't have the oars out. Right now it looks so sleek and I'm afraid that would go against that. You already have the portholes for the oars to insinuate their presence, without having to have them out. Just have plenty of the air in the sails, so the slaves aren't needed at the moment.

But again, that's a minor nit-pick. The start you have on this thing is going to be tough to mess it up, to the point that the finished product won't be infinitely better than anything I'd produce. :)
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Phox532 »

@Cult good to hear it. Like I said, I'm very impressed with your work, but yea that sounds boss.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Crowsfoot »

The shape looks good, I agree with direweasel about the oars.

I would make the tentacles magnitized as I don't think it needs anything like it, just some white water is enough.

To add weight could you not stick something inside the hull on the base you won't see.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Rowena »

Yes, cutting the base close to the hull is what I meant, just so it has no visible shape around it.
I quite like the idea with the tiny white wash, I would just prefer it to blend seamlessly with whatever surface you put it on. The tentacles sound sweet. :)
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

STEP 18: SOME EXTRA DETAILS

The next step I have added some extra details now that the bulk of the ship is together. I have added the rowers windows along the side of the hull and some more decorative details at the front and back of the ship.

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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

STEP 19: BASE & MASTS (BIG STAGE THIS ONE)

This is where it all comes together. I start with the masts, more importantly the base section blocks. Because the balsa is quite light I need something sturdy to hold the masts in place. My initial idea is to make blocks and glue them to the base that the masts can slide in and out from. I'm using pine wood for the blocks and the masts because this is a sturdier timber.

I drill holes in two sections of pine that the masts can slide into. I have two different sizes 25mm and 19mm pine dowel.

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Next I cut some angle sections at 75 degrees using the mitre saw, this will keep the masts in place at the desired angle.

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and glue them together

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WARNING NEXT STAGE DO AT YOUR OWN RISK

The masts are tapered going from thick at the base to thin at the top. I looked everywhere for something that would be this shape but could not find anything. I did not want to use straight dowel this would just look dumb so decided I had to tapper the pine rod myself. I don't have a lathe so I came up with this dumb idea in the end that worked quite well (but is very dangerous)

Using a fairy large drill bit I drilled a central hole through the dowel. Then I gaffa tapped the drill bit to the dowel and put it into the drill. I held the free end in one hand loosely with a heavy grade sandpaper and the drill in the other. Now when I turn the drill on it spins the dowel and I can sand it down tapering the end. There is no way of getting the drill bit bang centre to the dowel so when you spin the dowel it spins off centre (the dangerous bit) also if you go to fast you get friction burns as it heats up - so go in short bursts. It took me about an hour to slowly sand them down.

I'm really happy how these came out - this was the most challenging part of the whole project

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Next I very carefully cut holes in the deck and gued the blocks in place. The main mast I glued to the ship and the back one glued to the base. It was a bit tricky to get them lined up. Once all was in place I glued the ship to the base.

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The base section I cut from 8mm MDF opting for something very close to the profile of the ship.

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Finally I glued it all together (not the masts, they can be removed)

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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Amboadine »

Sounds like a rather perilous way to make masts but impressive work.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Phox532 »

This is going to be fantastic when complete. I can't wait to see the final project and the board you're putting together for it.
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by Duffman327 »

If you wanted to, you could make the base out of 3mm acrylic plate and use some clear epoxy resin to form waves. Then having creatures in the water would stand out very well. You can tint the resin to the desired colour
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Re: Dark Elf Corsair Ship

Post by cultofkhaine »

STEP 20: MORE BITS & GYPROCK

Back to looking at details now and the bits box. I have looked at the different areas of the ship now and have added some bracing to the masts, put the Kraken tentacles on one side and sculpted the water into the base.

Kraken Arms - thought this would add an interesting feature to the piece.

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Added a wheel, after my young son pointed out that I did not have one. Even though there is not one in the illustration I thought it would be a nice touch. You can also see the bracing in the top mast section. The masts can still be detached at the moment.

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I have also added balustrading on the mid deck and some details on the doors - it's amazing what a pin head can o!

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The dragon head has now been glued on and green stuffed to the front hull

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I added a chain for the anchor, I thought it would be good to have it down since I don't have the oars out and would save me some time modelling one.

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Another random shot showing the details

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Side shot of the ship front

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The mast crows nests were a challenge, I'm happy with how they have come out. I used a paint brush with the ends cut off for the flag poll. I especially like the slave from the COB sitting under the lookout.

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Gyprock for the water on the base and then coated it in PVA glue to seal it

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Starting to consider the sails now and not sure how I will do them.
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