Trireme and Brireme building for wargaming

Sianelle

Intrepid Imaginatrix
Hello everyone, I enjoy modelmaking as well as Ancients and fantasy wargaming. I'm particularly keen to build model Triremes and Biremes to add an extra diamension to my games. I've seen the wonderful Roman Seas models, but with my middle aged eyesight being strained enough already with painting 1/72 scale figures I'm not about to start painting 6mm figures for any reason!
I'm not especially interested in kits, - especially those you pay for as I don't have a great deal of money for my hobby and as I don't believe in the use of credit cards for religious reasons on-line sales websites are out of the question anyway. What I really like is scratchbuilding, but since I've never built a model ship before I'm not entirely sure about how to make a start.

I've found this Russian website that has a Trireme ..... http://jtdigest.narod.ru/dig3_02/museum1.htm It's too small of course, but I thought I might use it as a guide to make a larger ship. I've been told that ships for wargaming shouldn't have too much fine detail and should be robust because they get handled a lot which can lead to breakages. This suits me fine as I'm not wanting to build anything approaching museum quality.
First of all I thought I'd build up the little Russian paper Trireme so I could get the feel of how to go about making a ship model. I've messed about with some Russian paper models before and it always amazes me just how intricate they can be as well as how well they turn out as models.
Anyway once the little Trireme is built I'll then have a shot at increasing it in size. Just as well paper and cardboard is cheap because I'm sure the household paper recycling bundle I put out for collection each week is going to increase before I get the design right. :?
 

Sianelle

Intrepid Imaginatrix
After running the website through Babelfish I discovered that the written instructions for the little Russian Trireme are actually very good. The only unfortunate thing is that Babelfish renders the Russian word for 'Trireme' as being 'screening machine' :confused:

The Russian website is for the magazine 'Young Technician' and the printed paper Trireme is a part of their 'Museum on the Table' series.
Out of interest I Googled Греческая триера to see what I would get and I was really surprised as to the amount of information I found about Biremes and Triremes. This is something I've done before when looking for something with Google; - if nothing is turning up with English keywords try using another language instead.
 
Hello Sianelle,

I followed your advice (thank you very much, for that) by searching the Russian term "Греческая триера" and I got a lot of hits which am pleased about, but on the first page I pulled up at

http://www.render.ru/gallery/show_work.php?work_id=38593&gal_rub=10&gal_add=

The first comment was this "Трирема, а не триера. " which is translated "Trirema not triera" so you might try "Греческая Трирема" in your search. I will try it too and we will see how it goes, I really like your idea, and I am kicking myself that I didn't think of it, especially since I can read and understand some Russian.

David Wagnon
aka Formerly Styrene
 
Sianelle,
I thought of something, have you seen this fellows blog;

http://p.a-models.over-blog.com/

He has a couple of free models of Roman era cargo vessels, the Ponto and the Oneraria, and I keep thinking that one of these days he will do an ancient military one. Anyway the small one is similar to the Greek cargo vessels I have seen. I think they are 1/250 but the colors are strong, they might resize without too much trouble. The Peagrafis fellow had another small model like the Oneraria but with a lateen sail and that might work as a Greek trader, but I don't see it on his blog.

I just thought of where it is, it is here on the French paper modellers site and it is called the caboteur;

http://www.maquettes-papier.net/forumenpapier/topic836.html

enjoy
David Wagnon
aka Formerly Styrene
 
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