Caribbean Corsairs

13Sep
by patmcf

1.5kg (3.3lbs ) / 45cm x 30cm x 30cm.

Well here we are finally, the Ship’s crewed, the natives are angry and the Corsairs want to do some plundering! First to the Heller caravel Nina, it was originally going to be the Pinta but she has been struggling against the stormy weather since March and as yet has not arrived from Germany. Her faithful captain Daniel is doing his best to get her to Australia but it’s a long way and with the virus disrupting everything one just has to be patient especially when it comes to getting a delivery from across the world at a time when everyone’s health is far more important. On top of that our American friends who are also struggling with the virus are now experiencing terrible bush fires on the west coast. I’m sure like the rest of our crew my thoughts are with you. Well back to the show and how I came to end up with a tropical-theme for this diorama. I had purchased the two sets of Dark Alliance Corsairs but wasn’t sure as to whom I could pit them against. It was by chance that I noticed one of those promos of other bloggers when looking at someone else’s blog so I decided to check it out. Well luckily I did because it was from this young gamer  who gave me the solution to my dilemma. If you check out his site you will immediately recognize how mine came about! Thank you Joseph!

Also I had the Caesar figures which I had previously painted up for a show with the Amazons but that didn’t eventuate, so after I saw Joseph’s blog, I decided they looked good enough for a tropical show so out they came. They are the closest I could get to represent the now extinct race of Carib Indians. (The figures are Maya Warriors and Biblical Era Libyan Warriors.) The dead and wounded Corsairs are Germania English Civil War Dead. I must add that I bought some Ultima Ratio musketeers just for the female figures and used on the Retreat from Corunna Diorama, but I thought I’d never use the male figures as they were pretty bad. However, I needed some swashbuckling characters so I experimented with them by roughing them up and painting them. I have to say they came up ok in the end, so they got the gig.

Now to the sea, this was my first attempt. As you know I’ve done a lot of still water and streams but never an ocean. My fears were unfounded as it was very easy in the end. I must say prior to this I have only used Woodlands Realistic Water, but this time it was two parts resin. After viewing some how-to’s I was right to go, the only thing was I was a bit late at doing was the pour and what I thought was going to be waves subsided overnight. I fixed them with water effects from Woodlands and finished them off with a little white paint. There is only one thing for those who wish to make Nina sailing along, as I have (I know, she is close to the shore but she is a shallow draught caravel and the pilot is very competent, and apart from that, I have told myself to stay within the confines!). You may wish to super glue a piece of flexible wire to the base of the sail so that it billows out.

    53 thoughts on “Caribbean Corsairs”

    3. theimperfectmodeller

      All your work has impressed me Pat but I really do think this is your best yet. I know it isn’t fair to make comparisons when each one is so different but there is just something about this one, I think it is the colour of it. That sea just hits you and draws you into looking at the rest of the detail. The palm trees look great (did you make these?) and the figures are excellent and then of course there is the ship! So much detail to focus on which I love as you know. Will be taking another look again later because I am sure I have missed a lot. 🤗

      Liked by 4 people

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      1. patmcf

        Thanks mate , I have to agree with you when you said it’s the best I’ve managed to do it’s the colour like you said that does it , I’m so glad I used the two part resin as it set very hard and is a great base to apply the Woodlands water effects to. The palm trees are cheap plastic one I get from China and paint them up , they do come up a treat and far better than making them myself as I have in the past.
        Cheers mate , I’m looking forward to seeing which way you go when you get to your ocean show 🤔.

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    5. deturnation

      AWESOME PAT (in capital letters).
      Where should I even start? This diorama is simply beautiful. Ranging from its landscape – the water looks like it wants to spill out, flooding everything with ocean and its foam – the not-so inviting beach, well let’s say I’d still want to lie on it reading a book… – and the flora, all is so very neat. Great colorations on the different layers of sand and water as well.
      As Skarlock say, you can’t stop finding new intriguing scenes that happen in this dramatical play… If I had to pick one thing that immediately caught my eyes it would be the bald guy on board of the vessel, crouching behind the rigging.
      Another note on that totem: Looks like some Japanese fox deity found a worthy place, really like it and made me chuckle a bit.
      The ship and the boat are both easily the centerpieces. You really did all the work and put in real threads as its rigging, that’s some work-dedication! Also love how the sail came out – gotta checkout the post about how you did the boat. But for me the most interesting thing is, how you placed them, tugged in, pulled and pushed by power of the currents/waves. It makes the atmosphere for me, creating this aggressive tension and nervous speed, that sets the tone.
      I can see myself getting back to the pictures more often to get more impression about its story.
      That said, great work, not even counting the mountain of miniatures you had to work through!

      I really hope you’ll make this modular like your castle and add more parts to it from time to time, like a whale in the water surfacing or a hunting scene or more of the village maybe. 🙂

      Sad to hear that your Pinta takes so long, shipping inbetween Europe has normalized, as I order often from the avalon of miniatures (GB). Could be hanging in customs maybe? This is at least what delays my stuff, when I order from outside the EU, even if it’s tax-free…

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      1. patmcf

        Well thank you mate, I don’t recall getting such a big wrap up before, I did feel ok from the start with this one and since I have decided to keep the sizes down I should have thought about making it modular as you have suggested, thanks I’ll keep that in mind .🤔.

        I’m sorry to say I didn’t get to post more details on how I worked things out making Nina but will try and muddle something out in the future as it was easy once I worked out a way to do the rigging ! Silly I thought they would be of the old pre modelled type. Funny how I find things I failed to include , I found the oars for the small boat and now one of the wounded guys !!!😳😄

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        1. deturnation

          It’s well deserved Pat!
          Well you can always go bigger with additional modules. 😉

          I already enjoyed the progress-report though.
          Black sails were the best thing you could do to it. This menacing look just makes the model.

          Finding those overseen parts almost justifies expanding! (have I hinted at that alreday? haha)

          Liked by 1 person

        2. patmcf

          As soon as you mentioned it some ideas started to form !🤔and when I revived Pinta yesterday I was in looking at a way I could !! Ahhh I’m supposed to be working on the neglected archers !😅😂🤣

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      1. patmcf

        Thanks Eric , it was a bit of a worry as I have used one that you had to melt and that was such a disaster I had to rip it out , I was thinking of using you tissue paper method but happened to pick up some resin at s discount so I though give it a go and I’m glad I did as it worked out fine . I did cover myself though just in case it all went pear shaped by wrapping Nina in plastic food wrap which I later removed when I was happy and the used some Woodlands water effects to fill in any gaps .

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    11. maenoferren22

      Looking awesome Pat, so much to see, it’s like a where’s something interesting. You notice one thing then realise there is something interesting next to it. The water is spot on mate. I think my favourite photo is the poor Corsair trying to launch the boat on his own… I don’t rate his chances much.

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      1. patmcf

        Ha ha ! Yeah mate it would be a bit heavy 😳well Imagine glad you found enough things of interest as I forgot a few things , only found them when cleaning up 😳🤔so I’m glad you liked it anyway , cheers mate .

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    14. Marvin

      Bloody brilliant, mate! From land to shore and from crows nest to keel, there’s so much skill and imagination involved, I am in awe. Your ocean is amazing. As a dio dunce, I can only imagine how you managed all that. I could spend all day looking at those details and probably will on and off… 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. patmcf

        Thanks mate , this one did need a lot more research than previous ones and as I said to Eric , it’s great that others share their ideas as it was a great help! Expect a few more oceans now that I have gotten over my fear of them!😅😂

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    21. Kuribo

      This is incredible, museum quality work! I love the vibrancy of seeing so many miniatures in a single diorama. The water has great color and looks really realistic as well. That is a skill I hope to learn in the coming years so it is inspiring to see it done so well 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. patmcf

        Well thanks very much Kuribo that’s very kind of you to say that. I have to say that putting many figures on one hides my slap dash painting and I have to say it has taken me a few years to master water effects, my early attempts look pretty poor but that what we do, keep on improving as we go along, and I have to say I wouldn’t have got were I am now without all the tips from our happy band of brothers and sisters we belong to,Cheers Pat !

        Liked by 1 person

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        1. Kuribo

          With that many figures to paint, I think it’d be tough to paint them all to the highest standard. I’d second that sentiment about the community being useful too. It is one of the best parts of this group I’d say 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

      1. patmcf

        Good move mate , I purchased Pinta first but due to the virus It took eight months to arrive, in the mean time I was able to get Nina and that was lucky as she’s a lot easier to rig , so good choice mate .

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