{"title":"Victory at Sea - Merchant Vessels","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-merchant-convoy","title":"Victory at Sea - Merchant Convoy","description":"\u003cp\u003ePreventing attacks on defenceless merchant ships is the other main role of the navy, and it was here that the war was fought, day in and day out, by the humble corvette, frigate and destroyer escort, and later by escort carriers. Commerce raiding formed a critical part of the strategy for several nations – Germany’s Kriegsmarine almost brought Britain to her knees whilst the US Navy similarly strangled Japan’s movement of industrial goods, materials, troops and supplies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrouping ships into convoys meant there was more expanse of empty ocean out there – hopefully raiders would not even find the convoy. It also made escorts more effective, but in the event a convoy was hit by a surface raider, such as a heavy cruiser or battlecruiser, the target would be devastated in short order. Nevertheless, the convoy system helped a great deal. It would fall to the escorting ships to defend them until either a heavy covering force could come up in support or the merchants could make their escape. Some of the most heroic, and worst mismatched, actions of the war took place in defence of merchants convoys or troop ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBox contains:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 x Liberty Merchant Ship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 x Victory Merchant Ship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 x SS Ohio Tanker Ship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShip Cards and Damage Sliders\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eModels supplied unassembled and unpainted \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40422717063339,"sku":"742419901","price":83.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/742419901-Victory-at-Sea-Merchant-Convoy2.jpg?v=1654864290"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-ss-ohio-tanker","title":"Victory at Sea: SS Ohio tanker","description":"\u003cp\u003eOil proved to be the life blood for nations and their armed forces, and thus oil tankers often represented the single most important ships within convoys. SS Ohio is arguably the best-known merchant vessel of WWII, largely due to its role in Operation Pedestal where it is believed to have saved Malta from falling into Axis hands with its vital supply of much-needed oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOperation Pedestal:\u003c\/strong\u003e The island of Malta suffered greatly during the early part of the war. Though only a small island, barely 17 miles long, its position in the centre of the Mediterranean made it strategically vital as a British base. In secrecy, a relief convoy was planned, Operation Pedestal. It was intended to be the biggest and most heavily armed convoy put to sea. All available resources were committed, making it a real all-or-nothing operation. Central to this was the SS Ohio, an American tanker with a British merchant mariner for a master, Captain Dudley Mason. This ship was the biggest tanker of the day, displacing 9,000 tons, and yet was also the fastest; more importantly, it could carry enough fuel to keep Malta fighting for months. Refitted at Glasgow, the Ohio was armed with anti-aircraft guns and its sides fitted with armoured plates to withstand torpedoes, all designed to get the ship through the most dangerous thousand miles of sea. Joined by thirteen other merchant ships and nearly 60 warships, the Ohio started the voyage from Gibraltar to Malta on August 10.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst only five of the fourteen merchant vessels that made up the convoy reached Grand Harbour due to the relentless efforts of the Luftwaffe and Regia Marina, it was a strategic victory nonetheless. Operation Pedestal was not the success that had been planned, but it brought enough supplies to keep Malta fighting and ensure the island would not be forced to surrender due to starvation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis vessel was previously only available as part of the Merchant Convoy box set.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eModels supplied unassembled and unpainted\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40422812090539,"sku":"745102025","price":17.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745102025_VaS_SSOhioTanker01.jpg?v=1627071264"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-liberty-ships","title":"Victory at Sea: Liberty Ships","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe need to replace the merchant tonnage lost to enemy commerce raiding prompted the design of the Liberty-class ships. Simple and easy to build, these rather basic merchantmen were put together in large numbers and very quickly – which was exactly what was needed. The first was launched in 1941. The fastest construction of a Liberty-class ship (done as a public relations exercise) was four days, most took rather longer. However, their simplicity and ease of production, coupled with the fact they could be built in many locations to a standard design, meant that these workhorse vessels entered service at an impressive rate. At 11 knots the Liberty ships were not fast, and they were certainly not pretty. However, they were there when the job needed doing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow available separately from the Merchant Convoy boxed set players can build larger convoys to enhance their games of Victory at Sea. Pack contains three Liberty Ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eModels supplied unassembled and unpainted\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40422812156075,"sku":"745102015","price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745102015_VaS_LibertyShips01.jpg?v=1627071264"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-victory-ships","title":"Victory at Sea: Victory Ships","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom 1943 onward, the Allies perceived a need for faster transport ships. The desperate shipping crisis of the early Battle of the Atlantic had receded somewhat, and emphasis could now be placed on improved quality and speed. The result was the Victory-class ships, capable of 15–17 knots and propelled by a steam turbine rather than a simple steam engine. Hundreds of Victory-class ships served as cargo vessels and attack transports for the remainder of the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow available separately from the Merchant Convoy boxed set players can build larger convoys to enhance their games of Victory at Sea. Pack Contains three Victory Ships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eModels supplied unassembled and unpainted\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40422812188843,"sku":"745102024","price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745102024_VaS_VictoryShips01.jpg?v=1627071295"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-ammunition-ship","title":"Victory at Sea: Ammunition Ship","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs well as fuel, armies and navies need enormous amounts of ammunition in order to function. Ammunition ships were vital to the war effort, but also posed a severe risk to their own forces close by due to the explosive nature of their cargo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains one resin \u0026amp; metal vessel with ship card.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42129527341227,"sku":"745113002","price":17.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745113002_VaS_Ammunitionship01.jpg?v=1662557069"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-seaplane-tender","title":"Victory at Sea: Seaplane Tender","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVarious vessels were converted to seaplane tenders, most of them small merchant ships fitted with light anti-aircraft armament. Whilst of little value against advanced fighters and bombers, seaplanes were sometimes effective in chasing off or shooting down reconnaissance aircraft and at spotting surfaced Submarines. Seaplanes were unlikely to be able to sink a Submarine but could drive it underwater, allowing a convoy to outrun the threat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains one resin \u0026amp; metal vessel with ship card.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42129527570603,"sku":"745113006","price":17.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745113006_VaS_SeaplaneTender01.jpg?v=1662557087"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-tramp-freighter","title":"Victory at Sea: Tramp Freighter","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCovering a multitude of individual classes of merchant shipping, tramp freighters can be found in every sea of the world, plying their trade while avoiding the larger political issues around them. In the Second World War, many tramp freighters were lucky enough to be escorted in convoys by warships, thus keeping them relatively safe from submarines and commerce raiders. Any such ship caught alone at sea by so much as a destroyer was utterly helpless.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains one resin \u0026amp; metal vessel with ship card.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42129527963819,"sku":"745113003","price":17.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745113003_VaS_TrampFreighter01_bee27e94-d9fc-4f14-b220-7a57e5aa8d28.jpg?v=1662557110"},{"product_id":"victory-at-sea-armed-merchant-cruisers","title":"Victory at Sea - Armed Merchant Cruisers","description":"\u003cp\u003eAllied and Axis nations alike pressed cargo liners and other ships into service as auxiliary warships. In particular, the British organised regular patrols by armed merchant cruisers and Q-ships (merchants with concealed weapons) aimed at intercepting and capturing blockade runners, while Germany operated a number of highly successful commerce raiders such as the Stier and Kormoran (the latter was credited with sinking HMAS Sydney).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContains two resin\/metal ships with ship cards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eModels supplied unassembled and unpainted \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warlord Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42670194753707,"sku":"745113004","price":30.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/0801\/2971\/products\/745113004_VaS_ArmedMerchantCruiser01.jpg?v=1683117396"}],"url":"https:\/\/eu.warlordgames.com\/collections\/victory-at-sea-merchant-vessels\/metal.oembed","provider":"Warlord Games EUROPE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}