Landing Craft WWI Style

I am pleased that my funk with painting is over, or so I hope. Was able today to go through the terrain and boats for the landing at Fao on the way to Baghdad.  On the bench are six whalers.

What I find interesting is that 70 years ago this week the Allies landed on the Normandy coast with very specialized craft. They brought LCT, LCT (R), LCVP, LCA, LCI (L), Sherman DD and many others. Yet thirty years earlier the British Empire had only barges and whaleboats.

Even as late as the late 1930s naval technology was closer to the technology of the First World War than the second. This might explain the difficulty with the planning of Operation Sealion. Today we look at the idea of using Rhine canal barges as laughable. Well that was the level of technology at the time. It took the Allies three plus years to get it right. The Germans never stood a chance.

So what does a gamer do? Well the whaleboat and its cousin are easy to find. Mine are closer to the ear of pirates than the Normandy beaches but I am fine with the look. You can also scratch build a steamer to take the place of the SS River Clyde for the Cape Helles. That is my plan at least.