IMHO, I prefer the Baroque design of ZHL or better yet Sergal than the Fat Cow made by Artesania Latina. The shape of the Artesania model is so far off, it could not float, much less fight. Nigel bashed his Artsania SR to correct the hull shape, so if you want to go that route, refer to his build log.
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The ZHL model is very difficult to build, but it looks more realistic. It's definitely better to put in some effort and make something beautiful.
Artesania Latina is wonderful and historically correct, but they made a mistake, and this model should have been 10 cm longer in scale and only after the modification it looks great. https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/...ng-artesania-latinas-new-kit-by-nmbrook.9573/
In my opinion 70% ZHL, 30% Artesania Latina.
Artesania Latina is wonderful and historically correct, but they made a mistake, and this model should have been 10 cm longer in scale and only after the modification it looks great. https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/...ng-artesania-latinas-new-kit-by-nmbrook.9573/
In my opinion 70% ZHL, 30% Artesania Latina.
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First of all choose the one with decorations that suits you best. They're all kits so they need a little improvments, question do you want to make them or you don't want any changes and go directly as instruction goes.
ZHL did sth very weird as they designeg this misshapen blob they call castings. It's not they couldn't do it properly as they have very accurate pear decors for Vasa. So as Kurt said Mantua is much better version. On the contrary to previose opinions AL SR has some very uniqe elements that are not available in ANY other SR kit.
If you can accept the mistake in hulls length it has very uniqe and historically accurate decors. It's not 1:1 as beautiful as the Michel Saunier SR, but it's close enough.
Second thing visible guns look accurate and even have some decorations on them. Same thing on balaying pins-reasonably sized.
And like I said before those elements under the grating aren't available in any other kit and are historically accurate. The downside is: a lot of elements from AL is from playwood that just looks cheep and you have to somehow cover this up.
The most important thing in this model is to cover playwood and to not paint the hull or rather paint it tasteful, because without all the ornamentation from Michel Saunier model has too much free space that just look bad with soo much blue on it
Link to build log
Only in AL model
So far only completed model that is good looking
The model AL wanted to base upon
ZHL did sth very weird as they designeg this misshapen blob they call castings. It's not they couldn't do it properly as they have very accurate pear decors for Vasa. So as Kurt said Mantua is much better version. On the contrary to previose opinions AL SR has some very uniqe elements that are not available in ANY other SR kit.
If you can accept the mistake in hulls length it has very uniqe and historically accurate decors. It's not 1:1 as beautiful as the Michel Saunier SR, but it's close enough.
Second thing visible guns look accurate and even have some decorations on them. Same thing on balaying pins-reasonably sized.
And like I said before those elements under the grating aren't available in any other kit and are historically accurate. The downside is: a lot of elements from AL is from playwood that just looks cheep and you have to somehow cover this up.
The most important thing in this model is to cover playwood and to not paint the hull or rather paint it tasteful, because without all the ornamentation from Michel Saunier model has too much free space that just look bad with soo much blue on it
Link to build log
Soleil Royal by Artesania Latina
Good to hear you will keep up the work, believe me we all have things to learn, I even see posts from many long time builders who learn a new method or practice with the changing tools and technology out there. Who would of thought we now have kits with CNC carved parts and 3D printed fittings...
shipsofscale.com
For Sale - Soleil Royal by Artesania Latina [SOLD]
Group, I've got to man unfinished models! I'd like to sell my uncompleted Soleil Royal. I started this kit about a year ago I think. I didn't take any photos of the construction because I never had any plans to write a practicum on building it. However, as time went by I had to put it aside to...
shipsofscale.com
Only in AL model
So far only completed model that is good looking
Soleil Royal Model Ship (New Artwork) | The Model Shipyard
Soleil Royal Model Ship (New Artwork) Model Ship from The Model Shipyard, builders and designers of the STEPHENS & KENAU™ range of museum quality model ships.
www.stephensandkenau.com
The model AL wanted to base upon
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If you have the money to spare, the AL kit is the best basis to build a good model of the ship. All of the deck furniture is fictional and horribly out of scale. Whomever built the version of the kit above, for The Model Shipyard did a good job of fairing the hull, planking in a mostly correct fashion, and correcting the sheer. The gunport spacing, though, is completely wrong because, as mentioned, the hull is much too short. I think it’s a huge money commitment for these kits, but if you can’t be dissuaded, the AL is the best of the three.
I did the Sergal Soleiel Royal and found the quality of the materials and plans weren't on par with what I paid for. From the build logs I've seen here, I'd go with the ZHL kit but as mentioned above, go slow on the paint.
How to the cast decorations compare though?
Good point--from the build log pics I've seen the ZHL castings weren't too crisp. The Mantua/Sergal castings weren't too bad--see pics.
Having built the ZHL version, I would tend to agree on the castings. I did learn a lot from the build , however.
So to get the best of both worlds, you'd have to buy two kits and mash them together, or buy the Sergal kit and replace most of the wood.
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Or buy kit, some wood and a small saw
Exactly! If only! It does raise the question--is it feasible to try 3D printing for the castings? I have no idea how expensive that might be.
Yes. I will be 3-D printing decorations for my current ship project, but it will take many month just to learn the program, and then lots of practice making the models and learning to print them with a 3-D resin printer. It's very slow work.
My two cents......
As you are aware I am building the AL version but have built the Sergal version. The ornamentation of the AL kit is light years ahead than that of Sergals.Especially if buying a new kit. The Mantua group really need to invest in new masters for their lost wax process as they are showing their age and the castings are nowhere near as sharp as they once were.
For me, it is much easier to sort the wood bit and not the decor.
As you are aware I am building the AL version but have built the Sergal version. The ornamentation of the AL kit is light years ahead than that of Sergals.Especially if buying a new kit. The Mantua group really need to invest in new masters for their lost wax process as they are showing their age and the castings are nowhere near as sharp as they once were.
For me, it is much easier to sort the wood bit and not the decor.
I may be slipping sideways on this but I tend to view not so sharp decorations as “weathered.” My angst is I have no real recourse considering the options so I try to make the kit options look as good as I can. A couple coats of poly over the deco helps smooth the imperfections. After a few months of the finished model on display the imperfect deco is hardly noticed anymore. 
I don't know Dan, The worn out Sergal decorations don't look weather, as in dirty to me, they look melted and blobby instead.I may be slipping sideways on this but I tend to view not so sharp decorations as “weathered.” My angst is I have no real recourse considering the options so I try to make the kit options look as good as I can. A couple coats of poly over the deco helps smooth the imperfections. After a few months of the finished model on display the imperfect deco is hardly noticed anymore.
Yeah....but its going to be fun!
So....do models have to look like they just came off the showroom floor?
No Phil, that’s not my meaning. I was referring to change of Sergal/Mantua’s castings from sharp to blobby over the years.
Indeed there is a limit to my tolerance as well…in this case I agree…bad casting is bad casting…can’t make excuses…my frustration is it is not easy to replace ship deco from other sources…except maybe the supplemental sets one can get for the more popular models…