Naval wargaming

Model ships have long been used for wargaming, but it was the introduction of elaborate rules in the early 20th century that made the hobby more popular.

After World War II, several manufacturers started business in Germany, which remains a major centre of production to this day.

[3] Other companies started in Britain and the United States as well, first centering on the wargamer, but as time went by and models became both more detailed and costly, marketing to the collector.

In the UK Skytrex and Navwar pioneered the "micro scale" with extensive ranges of ships from pre-dreadnought ironclads to modern vessels in 1/3000.

The ancient Romans staged what were probably the first naval "wargames", with mock sea battles acted out in Rome's Colosseum, specially flooded for the occasion.

Quick and easy to play, they have established themselves over the years as one of the leading sets of World War I and II era rules.

However, this approach led to a fast-playing system that was the root of its popularity (probably coupled to an extensive array of supporting information and ship statistics).

However, there is a smaller but nonetheless active arm of the hobby that covers fantasy and science fiction naval warfare.

Each model had a corresponding template to record damage, crew levels, and outbreaks of fire, among other bookkeeping activities.

All at Sea, for example, is an adaptation of The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game rules for naval conflicts.

The game's mechanics centred on boarding parties, with options for ramming actions and light artillery in the form of ballistae and other siege engines.

[9] Elsewhere a variant of the Full Thrust science fiction starship combat rules exists that covers age of sail battles.

To reduce the chance of spectator injuries, and to prevent a vessel from having an unfair advantage, the propellant gas used in the cannons is limited in pressure, and may be tested by the judges, again disqualifying a ship if it is too high.

An inappropriately high top speed gives a ship an unfair advantage, and is frowned upon by other members.

Some events try to recreate historic events, while others create original scenarios, such as all-out war, a subset of ships defending a port against an attacking enemy, protection of a group of unarmed merchant vessels, or any other scenario the club members decide would be fun.