2mm and 1/72nd variety & Battle Cry is finished!

I have just painted the first figures from Old John's huge delivery, a box of Strelets US Generals (12 mounted), and the US Cavalry skirmishing box (12 mounted and 14 dismounted). As usual very nice sets full of character. I'll be doing another weeks painting for John before painting another 60 mounted Indians for Mark.

I was going to have a weekend break but plans changed so I decided to paint the 2mm bases that have been in my drawer for months because I was struggling slightly with the tiny scale. With the sun shining in on my painting desk I am taking advantage and cracking on with them and have to say finding it an enjoyable challenge. I should have them all finished by Sunday evening.

Battle Cry project.

Well, it's time to call it done on this. I eventually painted more than required because I was enjoying doing them. You see here the completed armies comprising the follow:

16 bases of infantry per side.(Warlord Epic)

3 bases of cavalry mounted and 3 bases of cavalry dismounted (Kallistra).

3 guns and crews (batteries) per side. (Epic)

3 Generals per side. (Kallistra)

What next?

Epic scale prints from Battle Honours 3D.

Well, having cancelled my order a week ago after waiting 4 weeks for a shipping confirmation these arrived yesterday! There is not really much that I can say by way of a review other than that I am glad that I only placed a test order. Printed at 13.5mm 'Epic' scale requested from the drop down menu these 6 strips of 6 individual figures were priced at £8.95 plus postage via eBay. The renders looked great but I have to say that in this small scale far too much detail has been lost  and they are incredibly brittle, the rifles especially are so thin that they are totally unsuited for table top handling. I tried to clean up just one figure by carefully trimming away the supports but the rifle end just snapped off. It is a shame, but in my opinion the time and effort required to get these anywhere near ready for painting would simply be wasted. I'm glad  that got to see them close up but that is as far as I will go other than to say that I'm sure they would be far better in the larger scales such as 28mm.

Cornfields (again) and Kallistra cavalry!

Oh no, not more cornfield shots I hear you cry! Just a couple of better close ups - it really is a great product - with units of the Iron Brigade lurking within. The feedback on these little plastic cornstalks has been incredible on both the YouTube video and Facebook ACW group posts. 

I mentioned that I really was not keen on the Warlord plastic Epic cavalry and so have replaced them with Kallistra 12mm figures which are a very good match aside from the slightly small horses. Three bases of each side and as the later variant rules allow them to dismount and fight on foot with carbines I made up dismounted bases and this time included a couple of horses and a holder rather than do separate marker bases. The Rebs are Virginians and the Union Michigan boys, the 'R' on the rear denotes that they are armed with repeating carbines so will get an additional dice when firing. I really like these little figures.

The great man himself alongside 'Stonewall' Jackson.

Come on you Wolverines!

J.E.B Stuarts Boys

An unexpected email!

Having waited 4 weeks for a dispatch confirmation from Battle Honours 3D - I had placed a small test order for some of their Iron Brigade prints to 13.5mm scale - I cancelled my order and requested a refund a week ago which was promptly handled. I made it clear that I would have much rather have had the figures and was hoping to give them a good review once painted. In the meantime I had finished my conversions plus the addition of the two metal bases given as a gift. So I was surprised yesterday to get a Royal Mail notification that my package from Battle Honours 3D is due to be delivered tomorrow! I will see what arrives in the morning and go from there but I would love to be able to give them a good review as the files just look so amazing and I would look to add more. They do look rather pristine for Iron Brigade but would make great early war units for Bull Run etc, suitable for both sides. 

Command Cards.

I have printed and plastic sleeved the 'printer friendly' cards for Battle Cry (thanks to Tony/ 'Foy' for the link to the sleeves). I can now play the game but would love an original set as the design is really nice and colourful. The game is incredibly expensive on eBay now so I'm looking at alternatives such as designing my own from scratch. 

Another nice little gift & making river hexes.

I mentioned a few weeks back or so that I had been trying to find some metal Iron Brigade strips with no luck as Warlord seem to have discontinued them. Last week 12 strips arrived from Copenhagen by way of a gift and even the postage was paid! I wasted no time in making a couple more bases of the Black Hat's to add to my previous conversions. This involved a fair bit of cutting with a fine tooth saw and filing etc to make up the command figures. I'm happy with them and brings the Brigade up to full strength of 5 regiments with the addition of the 24th Michigan and the 19th Indiana. They are a perfect match for my conversions.

I'm also making river hexes for the Battle Cry game, very simply just rolling out strips of blue tac then sticking them down with super glue before covering everything with Vallejo Earth Texture. Once dry the river is painted with black and a touch of dark blue before gloss varnishing a couple of thick coats. A touch of Javis flock matches them up to everything else. Cheap and effective I think. Seven so far with more to add along with roads in due course.

Commission work update - The Pony Wars.

Just getting ready to pack these up so laid them out for a short video overview. Mark has already collected the first batch so this represents what I currently have painted since then with still a fair way to go yet over coming months. 

Forward the Iron Brigade!

 Well two regiments so far, the 6th and 7th Wisconsin. These are simply converted from standard Epic ACW strips and when I say simply I mean a fair amount of fiddly work was involved. The 3D printed figures ordered via eBay might still arrive, ( I received an email telling me that due to postal issues it would be at least 2 weeks before my order can be dispatched so we live in hope), and if they do they will be used to create a few early war units. In the meantime I decided to make my own based upon the wonderful recreation of the Brigade from the film Gettysburg combined with period photos that clearly show the Wisconsin boys in a mix of ill fitting sack coats and a smattering of frock coats with the famous Black Hats (1858 enlisted mans issue) looking decidedly misshapen and mostly unpinned. A few have lost their hats and wear the kepi.

The conversion.

There was a bit of cutting and separating the strips in order to remove most of the kepi heads. All of the hats were then built up using a tiny ball of green stuff worked with a cocktail stick. The frock coat fronts were added using Vallejo Plastic Putty which can be shaped when dry. The 7th Wisconsin have a converted line to command featuring 2 standard bearers and an officer with sword over his shoulder, as usual these involve careful trimming away of the rifles and replaced with heated dressmakers pins, I have done this so many times now it's a doddle! All in all I am very pleased with the results and will probably add a couple more units in time. I used a new scalpel blade for this work as usual so must add a word of caution if you are thinking of doing the same, always cut away from your fingers, clamp the figures and cut down.

The 7th Wisconsin Regiment of the 'Iron Brigade' photographed in Virginia in 1862. Note how different they appear compared to as often modelled.

1858 enlisted mans hat.

Cavalry.

I mentioned previously that I need more cavalry for Battle Cry scenarios and as I want to begin with scenario 001 1st Bull Run I need 2 Confederate units. I have turned to Kallistra which are nominally 12mm scale but a good match and very detailed. Yes, the horses are slightly small in the hind quarters as often said but as I intend to replace the Epic plastic cavalry with Kallistra all round this will not matter. I just could not justify the cost of the Warlord cavalry when such wonderful castings are available in metal at a fraction of the cost in metal if I'm honest. I have the first five undercoated in front of me and will be attacking them with some paint after my coffee.

Edit: One hour later :)