More Confederates

Still just going through some photos of my ACW troops. A couple more Confederate regiments for today. First one appears to be Dixon, second mostly some old Wargames Foundry. Usual mix of Testors and Vallejo.

Other than that, not much exciting, other than the usual mix of all kinds of crazy things on the bench. More soon!

Some Yankees

Just two of the Union regiments I now have. A bit on the small size, perhaps, but maybe they've been around a while?

I Wish I Was in the Land of Cotton...

I had originally planned on posting some photos of some Union troops today. But it being cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey this morning (-23F), I really wish I was in Dixie. Anywhere warmer, actually.

So instead, here are a couple regiments from what I can only assume would be a warmer place. Tennessee? Georgia? Alabama? Yes, please.

I've also been trying to inventory the ACW collection. I'm realizing I need to put some effort into a project like this that already has a lot done. Still, I'm not 100% settled on a ruleset. I may go back and look at adapting The British Are Coming again.

Dixon figures, painted some time ago with the usual mix of Vallejo and Testors.

Happy Mardi Gras from Wheat's Tigers

Seems like as good a day as any to post these. I won't go into the unit histories, but suffice to say no ACW collection is really complete without these guys - the 1st and 2nd Louisiana, better known to history as the Tigers.

I finished these guys up last fall, but just got around to taking some pics. The pants were a bit of a pain, and it's why I kept procrastinating! In the end, though, I think they turned out pretty well. Dixon 25mm figs, the usual Vallejo and Testors paints.

This is probably about as close as I may ever get to New Orleans, so happy mardi gras!

President Grant On Presidents' Day

Yeah, Presidents' Day isn't one of those "cool" holidays. More of an annoyance, really, with banks, schools and government offices closed while the rest of us working stiffs march on.

Actually one of the best descriptions I heard is it is the day the President goes outside and if he sees his shadow it means one more year of bullshit. Sounds about right!

Anyway, when looking at my ACW stuff yesterday, I realized I had a president in the mix. OK, so not the greatest president. OK, OK. One of the worst. But still. Here is U.S. Grant still in his guise of Union general. I have a George Washington mini somewhere that may have been a better choice, but this photo was immediately accessible, so here he is. Old Dixon, 25mm, the usual assortment of Vallejo and Testors paints.


More on the ACW coming soon.

104th New York

"Those are big flags for little poles." So sayeth my daughter. And she's right. I should have done something about those poles. Like made some longer ones. But oh well, I was to the point I just wanted to get these guys done, and attaching the flags was the very last step. So they are done.

Figures are Dixon, with the usual blend of Testors and Vallejo paints. This was intended as a "generic" Union regiment to fill in wherever needed. Looking through the stash of flags, I came upon the 104th New York, which sounded good enough. As near as I can tell that's not a zouave regiment, or part of anything unique like an Irish Brigade or an Iron Brigade.

Someday I will actually get all of these on the table. I haven't completely settled on a ruleset, but given today's news of John Hill's passing, I think I will dig out Johnny Reb III tonight and take another look. It seemed a good day to post a pic of these guys as well. Like so many, I can trace my interest in the hobby back to Squad Leader, so John Hill's legacy is secured.

Striped Pants: Not as Bad as Plaid, I Suppose

I've always kind of wanted to paint up a Jacobite army. Then I think of the plaid. Oof. But you know what? Pinstripes are just about as bad! Why, oh why, did the Lousiana Zouaves have to wear these?

Every good Confederate army has a unit of Wheat's Tigers, right? So I set off to do the same. But these pants really seem to bog me down, and after doing one or two, I'm ready to go paint some Yankees. There we go, sky blue pants, blue coat, done.

At least I can hope that one day these will look nice on the table.

(Figures are 25mm Dixon.)

Gettysburg: 149 Years and a Week or So Later

I really should have posted this photo a week ago. One of my favorite minis, Dixon's representation of General Lewis Armistead as he would have appeared at the height of Pickett's charge at Gettysburg, hat pierced by sword an all. Alas, Armistead was mortally wounded in the ensuing assault on the Union positions. Somewhat limited then in tabletop possibilities, but a joy to paint.

I've also included a couple other shots of another random Confederate regiment completed some time ago. Again primarily, if not all, Dixon minis. Painted with the usual assortment of Vallejo and Testors paints.

I wonder if I will ever be able to sit down and paint all of those ACW minis languishing in the unpainted pile. Much less ever put them on a table in action. Sigh.

Confederate Artillery

After yesterday’s post featuring Union artillery, I felt it only fair to give equal time today to a Confederate counterpart. This set is another one painted up some time ago, and it appears to be all Dixon.

The bulk of my ACW collection is infantry, by quite a wide margin. I have some artillery, but not a lot. I have a few more pieces in the pile to paint, but have looked at getting more. The Sash & Saber sets look nice.

As for cavalry, I have some dismounted Union cavalry painted up I should show one of these days, and some unpainted Confederates deep in the pile. No mounted troops, which isn’t a huge issue for ACW, but it would be nice. I’ve had my eye on some Perry plastics for a while. Seems like I say it a lot, but one of these days…

148th Pennsylvania

Mini painting has sort of been placed on the backburner the last few weeks. In addition to other projects (some model cars) working their way to the forefront, other life projects have also moved up. Rake the leaves, for one. Getting busier at work, for another.

But for today, here is another one of those ACW units I was talking about a few weeks ago. This one shall be known as the 148th Pennsylvania, because that's one of the flags I had, not so much for any pure historical context. Still, I think it looks good.

Once again, Dixon minis. But I have a confession to make on paint. I have apparently been having a series of premature senior moments, and have failed to accurately present how I paint Union uniforms. My preferred method for the coats is Floquil Dark Blue, drybrushed with Testors intermediate blue. I can't believe I haven't mentioned Floquil previously. My approach to pants is also a bit different than my norm, as I use a Apple Barn or whatever it is called hobby acrylics sky blue from Michael's. That sometimes takes two coats over the primer to get the precise coverage I want, then I wash it with the aforementioned Floquil Dark Blue, and sometimes highlight with the Testors Intermediate Blue again.

So there you have it! More Yankees!

Berdan's Sharpshooters

Another unit recently finished. Well, at least as far as it's going to go right now. No leader yet, and I still have some more unpainted, but how many sharpshooters does one need? These were also a nice break from the usual blue, grey, red and drab I usually paint. Nice, crisp green uniforms, probably not nearly dirty enough, but I like how they look.

These are all from Dixon, painted primarily with Testors Euro Dark Green acrylic, with the rest the usual mix of Testors and Vallejo. Oh, and Reaper. I don't think I've mentioned on any of these posts yet that I typically use Reaper flesh. Seems the best to me. Then a wash of Vallejo saddle brown, though I recently bought some Games Workshop brown flesh ink that I intend to try. When? Who knows? I seem distracted by other projects again!

30th Pennsylvania

Remember those units I said I was going to base a few weekends ago? I finally got around to it.

And while I don't always model specific units, this one was given the flag of the 30th Pennsylvania, so the 30th Pennsylvania it shall be. Pretty standard Union uniforms, so I'm guessing it will work, as far as I know this wasn't a Zouave unit or anything. Someone out there correct me if I'm wrong. It's a rather small unit at only 12 figs, but if we go with the rules we're thinking of, they use a 25:1 ratio and a 300 man regiment does not seem out of the ordinary.

They are mostly Dixon minis, but the standard bearers and officer are from Redoubt. Redoubt's feature to add various heads/limbs is nice, but I did misplace the officers right hand. Must have been a visit to Dr. Sawbones after the previous battle? Painted with the usual mix of Vallejo and Testors acrylics. Look for more coming soon.

As for what I'm currently working on, Wheat's Tigers are still ongoing, as are some miscellaneous Union support pieces. I've also got some AWI Brits gazing at me longingly from the side of the table, as well as the partially complete Liberator troops on the shelf staring down at me. Not to mention the myriad other ongoing projects, like the Mustang, some model cars, getting the yard and house prepped for winter...

Here Come the Rebels

I guess it's about time I put up some pictures of the Confederates I've done. I like to give Confederates sort of a ragged, mixed bag look with a variety of greys and browns. These are not representative of any specific unit, just a generic regiment that can fill in almost anywhere. These are all Dixon minis, with the usual mix of Testors acrylics and Vallejo paint.

In a way, they are easier to paint than Union troops because any color really will work, but in a way they are harder because they are not as uniform and I am changing colors frequently. One of these days I will do a full count, but I think I have about nine regiments, all about this size.

As for my weekend plans, of course I didn't get as far as I hoped. I did get the sand down on the bases of a couple more Union regiments, but I need to drybrush and add grass yet.

Zouaves!

I did this unit several years ago. It's a nice break from the light blue/dark blue Union parade. This one doesn't represent any specific unit, rather it is intended to fill in for pretty much any Union zouave regiment.

Figures are all Dixon. Paints are as always a mixed bag, Testors acrylic and Vallejo, mostly.

I do have another Union zouave unit in the "to do" pile - that one might become specifically a New York Fire regiment. On the painting bench at the moment (along with multiple other projects) are some of Wheat's Louisiana Tigers so I can get some Confederate zouaves as well.

The Union Forever

The ACW is probably the period (along with WWII) that really got me into history. Reading the American Heritage book with the maps depicting tiny soldiers will do that. That and actually visiting battlefields while heading south to Florida to escape Michigan winters on family vacations.

I'm not 100 percent sure how the collection started, but I suspect it had to do with the fact the FLHS had Dixon 25 mm figures in stock. These were the days before the internet, and even before I had ready access to catalogs for mail order. And I didn't have much money at any rate. Over the years it has grown, but Dixon has remained at the core. Somehow even with the Princess Leia hair they have a charm all their own. I do have some Foundry, which are very nice, of course, and even some Redoubt. Curiously, I don't have any Old Glory. I admire the Perry minis and may get some, and I also have my eye on some Sash & Sabre. But I have so many Dixon in the box to paint, I can't really justify any new orders on these yet, especially with the other things going on.

As for rules, I've never really settled on a set. Not that I ever play, anyway. I have taken part in some 15mm games at cons, but my own minis haven't seen a table in years. At that time, we used a home-brewed variant of The British Are Coming! and called it The Rebels Are Coming!, and it worked out OK. I have Johnny Reb III, which while I've played it at cons, I just never quite latched on to as "this is it!" If I had an immediate prospect for regular gaming, I'd be tempted to look at Regimental Fire & Fury.

Anyway, here's a taste of what I have. I've done up both Union and Confederate units. One of these days I'll do a roll call and post up exactly what I have. While many of my Union troops are of specific units (Iron Brigade, Irish Brigade, etc.), this is just a generic group of guys in blue who can fill in for almost anything, from early to late war, Eastern or Western theater. Oh, and General Hancock.