More ACW: Semmes' brigade and Union artillery

Now I've started on the Georgian brigade of Brigadier General P.J.Semmes, photo position one and his metal representation below. The third picture is of the 51st Georgia and I've used metal Perry figures (for a change)wearing frock coats as I read somewhere that Georgia issued this type of coat in 1861.

The last picture is of the first Union battery ( Battery K, 1st Ohio Lights with 6 x 12pdr Napoleons) completed from a total of four planned. The central gun and crew are Perry figures and the ones on either side by Sash & Saber; they are quite compatible size-wise.

ACW: 134th and 136th New York

Two new Union regiments are finished.

(TOP)134th New York
(BOTTOM) 136th New York

Both contain Sash & Saber figures. I'm currently re-doing all my Union regiments to have two flags per unit. Current total, on the Union side, is 10 battalions done and, on the Confederate side, just the four done. I'm turning them out slowly but surely.

Easy Rebels: Kershaw's Brigade

My plan is to have McLaws Confederate Division (part of Longstreet's 1st Corps at Gettysburg) finished and ready to take on Howard's XI Corps by October.

When I have painted Confederates in the past they have taken longer to complete than the Yankees and with time pressing, I have gone the easy route using the Army Painter product mentioned in previous posts.

Finished is Kershaw's Brigade. At the top, a photo of the man himself and underneath, my figure (a Perry metal). One of the pleasures of painting ACW is the ability to select a wargames figure that looks vaguely like the real thing. Wilkopedia serves the purpose here as almost every general has a photograph lurking somewhere. Of course this will also increase my workload as I will have to match up Union generals as well.

(3rd picture) The brigade assembled together under their smart GMB flags.

(4th to 7th pictures) Each unit is shown in line. I have changed the basing (again!) and now have 4 figures to a base. I also plan to re base my Union forces and give each regiment a second standard bearer. Most of these figures are Perry's plastics but I've also bought some drummers from Dixons (who sell figures individually) and though they are not great figures (strange over sized heads)it allows me to give each unit an officer, standard bearer and drummer.

Lastly, a word on Army Painter. I know its a complete contradiction in terms but I treat Army Painter as a demi-purist! A purist could get a similar effect with a one-tone paint job across the board and leave all the 'character' to the Army Painter.
I can't depart from the habits of a lifetime and still use, mostly, my two-tone painting system underneath the coat of Army Painter. Whatever system you use, I think this product really does the job and turns pristine clean soldiers into dour, weathered veterans ready for anything.

PS I've been waiting ages for my Victrix order and plan to paint up some French Napoleonics as Italians when they eventually arrive.

PPS SAVORY - an announcement is a couple of weeks away at the latest. Everything is GO.

More ACW

(Top picture) This is the new Perry's plastic ACW house and its a gem. Not cheap at £15 but probably cheaper than buying a resin version by the time you add postage on. I prefer plastic kits to their resin bretheren as the detailing is crisper and its possible to add ' clear plastic' in the windows to give the illusion of glass. The kit comes with fences too but they are still in my in-tray. I used a black undercoat, two dry-brushed coats of grey and a final coat of Army Painter to give it that extra weathered look.

(Remaining Pictures) In my last post I pictured the 9th New York cavalry regiment (plastics) and this time they are in metal - the dismounted regiment with horse-holders. I suppose I should really do three sets of horse-holders (one for each squadron) but life is too short for that level of detail so I'm content with what is done. That means a 12 figure cavalry regiment will dismount to 9 active guys and one mounted holding three nags. Each army will have a small brigade of two cavalry regiments.

Meanwhile my Confederates move on apace but I'm waiting for flags from GMB before I picture them. Confederates always take me more time to paint than their northern brothers because each figure has a different colour scheme. Still, I am enjoying doing them and Kershaw's brigade is almost finished.