I move around quite a bit, and since different clubs have different scales, what would be the most common scale so that I don't have to design a new ship everytime I move?
1:144 is pretty standard from what I've seen. What will get you is the weapons. If you build a big gun boat and then move to an area that only has a fast gun club then you won't be able to use it.
Well, building a fast gun and big gun (2) is better than building a 1/72, then 1/96, then 1/144 as I move around. Thanks. As far as 1/144th ships go, I've been looking at a South-Dakota Class Battleship (I.e. The USS Alabama) or an Atlanta-class cruiser (I.e. The USS Alabama)
FYI, an Atlanta will be tough to get to stand up straight. There's a bunch of high superstructure on that long and narrow hull.
I'm going to split this into a new topic since it is no longer about scenarios.. but in the meantime, a question for you: Why did you select the SoDak? I'm always interested in what draws new folk to certain ships.
The Atlanta is so tough to get to stay upright that they actually had the same trouble with the real one.
If you want a multi-format compatible ship, I'd recommend arming it w/ fast gun cannons. You can use bb guns in big gun clubs, but you can't use 1/4" ball bearings in fast gun or treaty
1/144 scale is far and away the most common scale in battle, fast gun would be the most common format. It would be difficult for a newer guy to get all the rules straight between formats, but it is *possible* through careful planning to build a ship that could be battled in both fast and big gun, but would require quite a bit of reconfiguring to go from format to format. The biggest differences in formats are armament, pumps, ship speed, and armor (balsa) thickness. Properly built, it would be possible (possible mind you, not particularly feasible) to swap out the guns and pump, re-sheet, and dial speed in with an esc to format swap. In reality it is probably much easier to build for the format you are most likely to battle in now, and build another ship to battle the other format if a move requires it. Although there are rule differences from club to club within each format, most ships could probably be built to be mostly compliant with a given format that would only require minimal changes to be compliant with a specific club.
Thinking more on the subject, a multi format wouldn't have to be too difficult. I'm sure it's been done at some point by someone. Assuming something along the lines of a light cruiser like my Emile Bertin, one could conceivably: 1) carefully build a hull that fit the penetrable area rules and rib spacings of the most restrictive club. 2) sheet using the most restrictive (1/32) balsa allowed. This would leave the armor a little light for big gun, but wouldn't be terribly significant, a light cruiser would typically be allowed 3/32 in big gun - it doesn't provide a ton of protection anyway. 3) Build it with a fast gun style pump that could be dialed down for big gun. 4) Build it capable of fast gun speeds, and dial it down for big gun. 5) Arm principally with bbs, like irnuke said. Torpedos could be added (provided the historical ship had them) for big gun - to be more of a force on the water. They could be disabled or removed for fast gun. Although obviously a compromise in any format, it would be possible. I think I've officially hijacked at this point. I've pondered (and probably confused) enough...... was just thinking out loud.
Seems more that you asked about the existence of or the starting of a Treaty format club in that area. If you're less picky of format... offhand your closest clubs will be Washington Cascade Column (we're still trying to sort out a pond for this year), PMWC in CA and WWCC in CA. We've had a few Idaho folk over the years here on the forums, but I don't know that any of them are currently around, including one guy who had most of an I-boat built as I recall. At one point there were some fellows in the Salt-Lake City area working on a club as well, but I don't think that has gotten off the ground. Mountain Home is sort of in the middle of things but without direct roads to a few places. In a way that leaves you ideally positioned to start a club there. Just need two ships and two people.
