Springsharp is one of the more unusual computer applications I’ve encountered. The author writes:
What if the German, Japanese, Royal Navy and US super Battleships were built for WWII?
What if there was a 19th century Navy the equal of the Royal Navy?
What if there was no Washington or London Treaties after the Great War?
SpringSharp allows you to design “what-if” and “never built” warships between 1850 and 1950 using little more than the specifications in books like Janes Fighting Ships, Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships etc. It applies parametric formulas as used by professional Naval Architects (Mumford, Parsons, Holtrop & Mennen etc) as well as empirical data based on research on ships (Liners & Warships) of the period to give a soundly grounded and scientific basis to your designs. SpringSharp produces a written report in far more detail than the above resources.
Miniature Wargaming is part of the "adventure games" hobby, which includes r ole p laying and board games. Wargamers recreate battles on the tabletop with toy soldiers, like a more complicated game of chess. Models range in height from 6mm to 28mm tall, with 15mm and 25mm being the most popular. There also is a growing interest in toy soldiers and military models, such as the 1/32 and 1/35 scale plastic soldiers from Conte, and Marx.
The most popular miniature wargames are fantasy and science fiction based, such as Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, Warmachine and The Lord of the Rings. World War II games such as Flames of War and Axis and Allies are new favorites. Other favorite historical periods include Napoleonics, the American Civil War, and ancients, such as Romans or Greeks. Other gamers enjoy miniature naval wargames, recreating battles like Trafalgar, Jutland and the Coral Sea.
Hobbyists research historical periods and paint their tiny soldiers in accurate uniforms. Others develop "historically realistic" rules sets or build scale battlefield terrain using model railroad techniques.
For pictures, visit the gallery.
Some of the bigger hobby companies are Games Workshop, which produces Warhammer, Wargames Foundry and Old Glory Miniatures. Wizards of the Coast produces several lines of pre-painted miniatures games, such as the Star Wars and Dungeons and Dragons miniatures games, and a historical game with pre-painted miniatures: The new Axis and Allies game. Wizkids produces a fantasy collectable miniatures game, such as the Mage Knight and Heroclick fantasy games, the science fiction games MechWarrior and Rocketmen, as well as the quasi-historical Pirates of the Spanish Main.
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