I have been adding the odd unit base here and there and this little project is really coming together quite quickly. To date I have painted 14 infantry, 3 artillery bases plus mounted and dismounted cavalry and horse holder markers. I have deliberately tried to keep this project on a budget as I'm focused on building up stuff for my model railway project which even for a small N Gauge shunting type layout is pretty expensive. Rather than buy additional metal command strips from Warlord (£15 for 5 strips!) I am converting the standard infantry strips as required. By careful trimming away of rifles and replacing with dress makers pins heated and then glued I'm more than happy. A cut down pin also works as officers sword over the shoulder. You can judge the results from the photos. I'm also trimming down all the hats to kepis for my Union units, something quite easily done with a bit of practice using a scalpel.
As I had leftover Zouave strips I decided to add a unit of the early war Louisiana boys. I wanted to add a few straw 'boaters' which involved head swaps using suitable hats which in this scale was quite a demanding job I can tell you, I lost several heads in the process! I also wanted just the single standard bearer for all my Reb units so I cut a command strip in half and replaced the unwanted figures. I also trimmed away all bayonets so as to match the other units. On the whole I'm rather pleased with them I must say. Will be adding flags to all Reb units later today, the Union already have them fitted.
So far this project has cost me the grand total of just £42.00 and I still have Union cavalry and enough strips for another 6 infantry units left to paint. I will need some of the mounted personalities though.
Once again I'm enjoying myself with this and it takes me right back to my early Airfix ACW days, I still have my battered old copy of the 1971 Terence Wise book.
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| Tigers! |
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| Standard strip converted to command. |
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| Rear strip for unit designation and to place casualty marker. |
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| Pure nostalgia! |
