Damaged Battery

This one's been sat around for ages. In retrospect, I think a prone figure would look better - but I didn't want the base to be too large. The figure is straight from the ACW casualty pack.


As you can probably see, I prefer the special bases to the bread and butter line regiments. I promise I will post a couple of regiments I have just finished real soon. I just need to do a few little bits and pieces and then photograph them.

AWI diversion

Like most painters / gamers, I have many miniatures sat in the 'lead pile'. I usually have one or two non ACW figures on the painting table so I don't go mad only painting blue and grey. This is a Perry sculpt from the Foundry range, painted up to represent the 55th Regt. of Foot. I have a few units worth of AWI's that will be based for British Grenadier. I love the new Perry range too - I wish they'd give the ACW the same treatment! The new Perry horses are especially nice, and I bought a few packs just so I can use them for the ACW Corps commanders bases.

More Southern Artillery

I'm finally getting around to completing a number of bases that needed those 'finishing touches'. This artillery piece, like the previous post, has borrowed from the Crimean range, again with the head resculpted. The officer is unconverted.


The 3" rifle is not painted to represent bare wood, but rather the ochre paint used on some Confederate pieces. I was looking for a link with the Ordnance manual regulations. This page has a good explanation. A number of 3" rifles were captured on the march to Gettysburg, so many of the ANV bases I'm painting up now will use a darker olive green.

Union Artillery

Obviously the bases have to be functional as wargames pieces, but larger bases give the space needed to create mini vignettes like this one with two tired crew being given new orders. The officer is originally from the Foundry Crimean range - which are slightly smaller than the ACW range. Strangely the ACW Artillery crew models are slightly more heroically proportioned than the Infantry in the same range. As a result I had to build up the base so they didn't look too unbalanced. The cap was removed from this figure and the head resculpted. The second model is a simple headswap, the final one straight out of the blister.

I have changed the basing material method on this and probably future models - instead of using sand, paint, drybrush and static grass (as seen on previous posts) which sometimes looks more like a bowling green than a battle field. I can't reference the site this idea came from as I can't find it now, but basically (no pun intended!), the plasticard is covered with PVA and dipped in sand. This is left to dry, painted black brown, then drybrushed up with browns and ochre shades. Instead of applying static grass straight out of the bag, it is then mixed with glue, sand, flock and dark green / brown paint. This mixture is then spread in clumps over the base. Once dry the grass can be drybrushed green / yellow green to bring out the highlights. To my eyes it definitely looks more realistic. I'll try to find a base that gives a better view later.

Rebel Officer

As I feared, real life gets in the way of painting and blogging. I've also been distracted by painting up some Foundry AWI & scenery for photo back drops. On the other hand, I do now have quite a few new figures that need photographing. A couple of new artillery pieces and once the bases have been finished, Gamble's dismounted Union cavalry.

This is from the Southern Command pack - unconverted, although mounted on an Foundry ECW horse (as I uploaded this I realised the paint under the mane needs some more work).

The rider is not fixed, and I intend to remount him as a staff officer to a Corps Commander. The horse and rider do go well together, so I may paint up another for that base.

114th PA Zouave

Only a single figure so far. Part of Sickles advanced line on 2nd July which collapsed under repeated Confederate attack.

The Foundry Zouaves are some of the nicest figures in the range - and I can tell they'll look beautiful as a full regiment. I chose the Collis Zouaves as their uniform is pretty much what the Perrys sculpted. Their uniform is also in the classic zouave style - with Fez, blue jacket and red Pantaloons. I'll scuplt some with turbans to create some variety too.

Painting method (in case any one's interested): Black enamel undercoat - Humbrol 33.

Blue base of Vallejo Dark Prussian lightened with Prussian Blue, highlighted with Prussian / Royal and slight touches of Sky Blue.

Reds - Vallejo Black and Dark Red, Dark Red, Scarlet, Scarlet and Yellow with a touch of white.

Flesh - Plaka Red Brown base, washed with Citadel Brown Wash, lightly brushed with more Plaka to bring out the highlights, then the three part flesh Foundry Paint system. Canvas - The gaiters and cravat are the Foundry Moss set finished off with some Vallejo Light Sand mixed in.

Browns - Vallejo Cadmium Maroon - one of the essential colours in my palette. gradually highlighted with either Beige Brown & Ochre, Citadel Snakebite Brown, or Light Brown, depending on what shade of brown I want.

Rebel casualty marker

One of the things I like about Fire and Fury is the use of miniatures for displaying unit condition and status. Many brigade level rules either don't use markers at all or use ugly bits of card or paper to litter the battlefield.

This 'Disorder' marker was converted from a Sikh Wars casualty figure. The turban was removed and a hat added from the ACW casualty pack. The face then had to be partially resculpted as originally it was covered by the turban. The jacket and shoes needed a little work too.

You'll note the blue cuffs. The so called 'Columbus depot jacket' was more common in the Western theatre, but period photographs do suggest limited ANV usage.