Unlike most wargames where objectives are static points on a map, in certain naval scenarios the objectives are ships just like any other model. These are the merchantmen, the unsung engines of commerce that hauled bulk goods all across the globe, ever the prize for a hungry young captain looking to make it big. In games of Black Seas, merchants come in two flavors: large and small.
I've even painted a merchant vessel already, although that one is a bit of an older style for the time period that Black Seas really likes to cover. In the starter set, you're encouraged to use one of the spare frigates as a stand-in for a large merchant ship, and while that is a more "modern" approach, there is another option. Warlord does sell an Indiamen model, and it counts as a large merchant vessel for game purposes.
They come in packs of 2 resin models with metal masts, figureheads and stern plates. Each pack also has 4 interchangeable metal inserts that let you customize the middle deck. I picked the open deck with the bundles of barrels and crates to really help communicate on the tabletop what kind of ship this is. Of course, you'd have to get really close to the model to see that, but that's beside the point.
As far as other ways to customize the ships go, the figurehead looks like it would take a 5th or 3rd rate piece, although I did have to do some sanding and greenstuff work to get it to look seamless with the provided metal part. It seemed a bit too short for the job, so I had to sculpt some extra to get it flush with the tabletop.
The sternplate is specific to this model, and each are identical, so if you're looking to have them look different you'll have to look elsewhere. You could maybe try a 3rd rate plate back there, but I haven't done so.
The model as a whole is suitably chunky and hefty, as befits a heavily laden merchant. A hell of a prize if any ship is able to get past the heavy ordinance the ship is modeled with. I purposely strayed away from yellow and black to help distinguish this ship form its escorts. The photography doesn't quite get the coloring great, but the hull is a very deep brown. I also avoided using any of the other types of national colors as I wanted this ship to be generic and usable by anyone for any scenario.
Next up is a small merchantmen. Warlord doesn't offer a small merchantman without the lateen rig on the mizzenmast, and I think they expect you to use a brig if you want something more current. Instead, I used one of the fireships that they sell, because how many times am I going to use a fireship?
These actually make for some really good small merchant vessels, I would say more than the official one does. For starters, its' actually small. On top of that, there are a lot of barrels and crates sculpted onto the deck, to represent the explosives that they would use to light the ships. Paint it a little differently and you have market goods stored above decks, either because the holds are too full or the crew is careless.
I also like that the gunports are fake with no cannons to run out. This was an actual tactic as well, a way to fool potential foes that a ship was more heavily armed than it was.
The fireships are sold with torn up sails, which I've kept for some eventual pirates. Instead, I replaced them with the worn out brown sails that come with the other merchant type ships. Pretty easy since the frigate and brig sails come on the same cards and the Indiamen models only use the frigate sails.
These are satisfyingly chunky looking models, which really works as they look like ungraceful lumbering boats hauling their cargo along.
Finally as an added bonus, I got another longboat done. This time around I painted the crew inside to look like a group of marines. If I get a third one done, I could play them as gunboats, as often times these longboats would be armed with carronades in the bow. I could even try a cutting out expedition with these.
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