What Would You Like to See in a New Ship?

[WarriorOfToys]

Of-course there are those of us
who never actually put our ships in water...

There is also another problem,
Would they be able to make it water tight?

[BlackPearl2006]

Of-course there are those of us
who never actually put our ships in water...

There is also another problem,
Would they be able to make it water tight?

As I said, the bottom hulls would be compartamentalized and each one would be individually water-tight below the waterline. Think of it as a bunch of square boxes (with no tops) floating in the water separately, each on their own, but you can connect them all together to make a longer (and still able to float) vessel.  There might be water where each box joins with the next, but there wouldn't be any water IN any box.  There would be no passage from one compartment to another below the waterline, but then you can stack additional compartments on TOP of the now joined boxes that do have passage ways (or no walls at all) between the sections so a klicky can still walk the length of the ship unimpeded.

[BlackPearl2006]

Just in case anyone was wondering, I decided to play around with some proportions.

Using the 3286 ship as a reference, and basing the size off the playmobil cannons, were Playmobil to release a grand flag ship ala HMS Victory, brandishing 100 guns across 3 gundecks (not including the main deck), AND have a proportionate bottom hull to accommodate a realistic waterline, according to my calculations, in Playmobil proportions, the HMS Playmobil Flagship would be about 1.8 metres long (1.3 metres without the bowsprit) and 1.8 metres tall to the highest mast.

This is about a ratio of 3:1 (as far as length goes) when compared to the existing 3286 ship that is only about 60 cm long, and about the same in heighth.  (technically though, this imperial ship is 9 times bigger than the 3286; it would literally take 9 3286 ships to hack up and join together to make this ship with 3 gundecks totalling 100 guns.  Just in relative cost alone, considering a brand new 3286 at original retail went for about US$80-90, that would bring this size ship to about US$720 at LEAST!)

My measurements may be a little off, but the point is, this thing would be about as tall if not TALLER than me!  (I am 1.6 metres tall). Just to check, I did stack 3 3286 ships end to end and layed down next to them to find that their length did in fact exceed my own.  From the pic you can see the 100-gun warship in playmobil proportions is roughly 3 times as long as the 3286 ship, just to accommodate about 15-16 guns per row (one 3286 can theoretically accommodate about 5 guns across the length of its hull, although Playmobil only gave us 4 ports).

Take a look at this behemoth monstrosity!



Bigger, even, I wager, than MacGuyver's Dolphin.  Hmmm, after looking at how unrealistically huge this would have to be, I am beginning to think MacGayver's Dolphin is the closest we may ever see to a Playmobil multi-decked flagship.  This just seems too big for a company to produce realistically.

I still think it may have SOME hope if it can be built through a series of expansion components.  I think, realistically, perhaps a mere extended hull with a third mast ala MacGuyver's Unicorn may be the best we can hope for from Playmobil, without having to customize one ourselves.

[tonguello]

The guns themselves are easy to get- It’s the mounting them that’s a *****.

Sadly Andy I just have seen your point. I have big hands. It's imposible to put them below deck. In fact the space in the whole ship is small for me. I put on a clicky and 2 fall down. it's upsetting. I love the ship though. But I would like it to be bigger.
One thing that's wrong and a waste of space (IMHO) is the inclined upper deck (name?) no one can stand there unless they are holding the ....wheel....to maneuver the ship (timon in spanish).....what's the name of that in english?  excuse my ignorance in this theme. So only ine clicky goes there and it is the biggest space in the whole ship.
anyway.... i'll play more this weekend. So far I really like it!!!!
GAston

[BlackPearl2006]

Sadly Andy I just have seen your point. I have big hands. It's imposible to put them below deck. In fact the space in the whole ship is small for me. I put on a clicky and 2 fall down. it's upsetting. I love the ship though. But I would like it to be bigger.
One thing that's wrong and a waste of space (IMHO) is the inclined upper deck (name?) no one can stand there unless they are holding the ....wheel....to maneuver the ship (timon in spanish).....what's the name of that in english?  excuse my ignorance in this theme. So only ine clicky goes there and it is the biggest space in the whole ship.
anyway.... i'll play more this weekend. So far I really like it!!!!
GAston

Ship's wheel, or helm is what it is in english, I believe, upon the poop deck.  I know how you mean the largest open deck only really has one hand-hold (the wheel).  I suppose you can sort of make them peer over the edge of the ship and use their arms to hold the wall, but it is not fool-proof, and they will still slide.  Lucky for me I added a mizzen mast on that deck, and my klickies can grab hold onto the shrouds there.  You should customize it!

[Andy R]

But even on a correctly-portioned scale model (sailable) ship like the one in the above pic, I have seen the lowest cannon ports delve below the waterline in rough waters;  even if the ship (even a playmoship) is scaled correctly with correct ballast and everything, one thing will always be out of scale: WAVES.

This was a danger with real ships of that era; That’s why the gun posts had to be closed whenever not engaged in actual combat (and leading to another term in the lexicon, “gundecking,” which means “entering into the record information obtain inappropriately,” such as by filling out the entire log, then entering the variables after the fact, or getting the weather direction and speed from the ship’s pennants rather than from the annonmeter).

Loving it… Maybe even (dare I say it…) too big.

Sadly Andy I just have seen your point. I have big hands. It's imposible to put them below deck.

Actually, it’s not that… It’s that the hulls aren’t formed for mounting additional guns. You have to cut, grind, drill, etc… Anyways.
But I do feel your pain about “big hands” (as exemplified by my using forceps to re-gun EAGLE after an extended yard period earlier this year).

One thing that's wrong and a waste of space (IMHO) is the inclined upper deck (name?)

Quarterdeck. On modern (mastless) ship’s that area is referred to as the fantail.

no one can stand there unless they are holding the ....wheel....to maneuver the ship (timon in spanish).....

It’s the ship’s wheel ( or just “the wheel”), and that’s not necessarily true; But those holding onto the wheel do have an advantage.

[BlackPearl2006]

Great plans, blackpearl! That's exactly what I had in mind. I guess great minds think alike!     I also think it will probably never happen, but we can dream can't we?

I like the pirate theme, but I actually don't have any pirate ships, mostly because I am not satisfied with anything they've come out with. If they made this ship, I'd be sold on collecting pirates!

u should still collect pirates!  3050 and 3286 style ships are still very good designs! as are the schooners/corsairs.  just look at macgayvers pirates for inspiration :

http://www.macgayverplaymobil.be/First%20gallery%20pages/macgayverplaymobil%20%20schepen.htm


and see playmoships sail:
http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=5714.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNroKEGAAJc&feature=related

[bonniebeth]

Yes, yes, I do love pirates.    I grew up watching Treasure Island and playing with legoland pirates with my brother. As a baby, I once crawled up to my brother's toy knife and started swordfighting it with my pacifier!

I've been trying so hard to resist getting into other playmobil themes (zoo is my theme).But I do have a few playmobil pirates, including one on my keychain! I'm sure I will break down and start buying them very soon.

[Bill Blackhurst]

Sadly Andy I just have seen your point. I have big hands. It's imposible to put them below deck. In fact the space in the whole ship is small for me. I put on a clicky and 2 fall down. it's upsetting. I love the ship though. But I would like it to be bigger.
One thing that's wrong and a waste of space (IMHO) is the inclined upper deck (name?) no one can stand there unless they are holding the ....wheel....to maneuver the ship (timon in spanish).....what's the name of that in english?  excuse my ignorance in this theme. So only ine clicky goes there and it is the biggest space in the whole ship.
anyway.... i'll play more this weekend. So far I really like it!!!!
GAston

The correction to Klicky's falling down on the poop deck & other locations on the ship if something isn't within their grasp to hold on, is for small clear tee's to be positioned on the deck pieces like the 4469 nautical exploration ship has, that slide in between the worker Klicky's feet keeping them in position during movement.



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[tonguello]

That's cool Bill, but 3286 does not have that, nor little holes on the deck. Anyway, Andy was right. I couldn make the clikies stand today (last night it was very late and clearly I was half asleep  ) if they are standing straight and have nothing in their hands. I don't think that would work while floating though..... But Bill's comment make me wonder if I should customize the poop deck.
 
 
Did anybody fill the bathtub up and make your ships taste the waters? or am I going to be the only crazy one tomorrow? 

Gaston