Hey;
You modelers out there! Are you afraid of paper? It's not the simplistic media you think. I have some ships that are as simple as a kids toy( which by the way it is) and some that would benefit from a Plastic modelers skill.
Sure they are hard to find but if you check the inter-Web you'll find that Fentens has just about any you would want from 1/200 and 1/250 all the way down to 1/500. They are finicky,for sure. But, if you find yourself in a situation where the Glues and Paints are bothering your health, then you could plot a course to paper or card. Aleens White "Sticky Glue" even Elmers or Gorilla glue work here. No odor!
Now, here's the kicker. After each assembly step you can weather or whatever as you wish. Just spray some Craft Clear flat on it first and you can use ANY acrylic or Enamel out there. There's plenty of P.E. that will work and you can use brass barrels if you want! Those just require a little lamination to the fastening surface first( That way the Brass weight won't warp the paper surface from weight! And after the craft spray you can even lightly but certainly drill it!
Now wanna build a fleet? Paper or Card Models in stash form fill a file cabinet drawer. This applies to armor and other kits too. Now, granted, Model cars are lacking. can't figure out why, because I have seen older cars built out of paper( Card) I have a 1934 Mercedes Sk300 that is card and it looks as good as any plastic one I've seen and I had to even weave the wire wheels!
Check Fentens site and I think you'll be surprised. Just don't close your mind to this form of modeling. It can be every bit the challenge that plastic is. I do have another point here as well.P.E. How many times have you had to make gun tubs and associated items out of P.E. Well a lot of that would be eliminated ! The paper of course is thin, so bulwarks and tubs would be easy yo make.
Many even come with extra details that will save your modeling dollars for the things you really need in P.E. such Catapults Cranes, Masts etc. What do you get when you buy P.E. doors for a plastic warship? A thin metal grouping of flat objects shaped and cut like doors. Well, they have those for paper ships too. Many times in the same kit as a normal part of the detailing. In the 1/250 Doria and Stockholm I had over 90 doors of different types to glue on.
I replace winches and such items with scratch built Plastic items because at that scale they are fiddly and sometimes a wee bit more glue than you really need can turn them into a useless blob of sticky soft paper.