ALY MORRISON'S "BUTTERFLY" ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF WARGAMES AND TOY SOLDIERS

Sunday, 15 August 2021

Shiny American Civil War… The first Union unit…

Greetings…

So as the title says here is the first of my Union units for this project…

I have painted them as a standard Regular Infantry Regiment..

I have after some consideration decided not to use any of the figures Dave Andrews gave me for this project…I will however hang on to them as one never knows how the wind may change…

I am going to use Jacklex Miniatures as much as I can… Their relatively simple design and full on retro feel is something that I really like…

As to the composition of the armies I am using the Action In The Plattville Valley scenario from Donald Featherstone’s War Games as a guide…

Six infantry,two cavalry and one cannon a side… it’s a good start and allows me to have a reasonable collection to build on and game with…

Of course these numbers are as always a guide and not a rule…

So… here it is…




I am indeed very pleased with these…

One off the things that took some time was my indecision about what to do about flags… In the end I went for the old Flags for the Lads range that I picked up many years ago and over painted the somewhat ‘pixilated’ images …

I know… Why take the easy option?…


The Tunics are… Citadel… Kantor Blue plus some Caledor  Sky.

The Trousers are… Citadel… Hoeth Blue.

The Snap Sacks are… Foundry… Charcoal Black Light 34C.

The Guns are… Citadel… Mournfang Brown.

The Water Bottles are… Citadel… Russ Grey.

The White bits are… Citadel Pallid Wych Flesh.

The Blanket Rolls are… Citadel Administratum Grey.

The Leather Good and Backpack are Black.

As always everything was given a coat of Aly’s Brown Liquid and highlighted with the original colours.


The figures are from Jacklex…

http://www.jacklexminiatures.com/american-civil-war

The bases are as always from Warbases…

https://warbases.co.uk/product-category/bases/round-cornered-bases/

The paints are Wargames Foundry and Citadel...

https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/paint
https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Painting-Modelling


This feels like a nice start to this project and I look forward to adding more as time goes by…


All the best   Aly










Posted by at
Labels: ,

47 comments:

  1. Jonathan Freitag15 August 2021 at 19:35

    A new project! Hooray! Nice and shiny, Aly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison15 August 2021 at 20:02

      Hurrah! Indeed Jonathan…
      I do like the shiny 😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  2. David15 August 2021 at 19:41

    Well, your choice, your toys though I confess I don't get all this nostalgia for primitive early figures. I've just cleaned up a Dixon ACW Union regiment, to be the Garde Lafayette, with flags from GMB. They will do for me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison15 August 2021 at 20:00

      As we often say David… Each to their own…
      It’s all about toy soldiers and having fun at the end of the day…

      Mind you as Dixon were started 45 years ago they are hardly spring chickens 😁
      I look forward very much to seeing your Garde Lafayette.

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. David16 August 2021 at 09:36

      Indeed it is all about the individual's fun, no matter how eccentric it may appear to other gamers. I never realised Dixon Miniatures was 45 years old...👴🏻

      Delete
  3. Matt15 August 2021 at 20:06

    Good man! You know it makes sense!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unlucky General15 August 2021 at 20:46

    Very attractive looking Aly. That old world high gloss makes them look like they will outlast all of us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison15 August 2021 at 21:00

      Thank you Greg…
      Although for me the attraction is purely aesthetic… I suspect they will also be very hardy.

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  5. Matt Crump15 August 2021 at 22:28

    Shiny ACW what a treat 👍 they definitely have a lovely retro feel. Of course DF in Plattville didn’t have multibases, we all have to compromise somewhere i guess. Lovely project I would love to see you recreate the battle when you have enough 😀

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison15 August 2021 at 22:35

      Thank you Matt…

      Donald also had Plasticine covered hills… I remember trying that with my Airfix figures back in the day…😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Matt Crump16 August 2021 at 07:29

      Yep I remember plasticine hills well

      Delete
  6. Phil Robinson16 August 2021 at 06:31

    No doubt about it they just have to be shiny. I am still tempted to gloss figures, but it just doesn't look the part on the "modern" figure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 09:22

      I think it really depends on the sculpting…
      Some figures look at their best with a Matt finish while others work well with a gloss…
      Although not a truly ‘modern’ range in age, the Perry sculpted Foundry ranges look damn fine with a good shine to them…

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Phil Robinson17 August 2021 at 09:00

      Indeed it works a treat on your NE Europe Bronze Age stuff.

      Delete
  7. The Jolly Broom Man16 August 2021 at 06:54

    Aly - I have taken to using satin varnish on my new acquisitions - so I’ve gone half shiny in your honour. Lol. Your flags are always a thing of beauty and the units themselves always look so “crisp”, which I think is because there’s no flock etc on the bases. ACW not my thing…but I can still appreciate these guys.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 09:38

      Thank you JBM…

      William Britains figures were more of a satin finish than gloss… so you are in good company 😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  8. rross16 August 2021 at 08:36

    Nah.... as you say Aly, each to his own and you are certainly not on your own in appreciating the charm of old style figures painted in high gloss and stuck to bright green bases like they were in the sixties - but like David, I dont get it I am afraid! But its great to see you start a new project and I will try to make supportive comments as you make progress towards your goal :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 09:46

      One of the things that I love about this hobby/obsession is that there are so many different opinions and choices in period, size and finish… there is indeed something for everyone…
      Of course with my wargames butterfly in charge… I want to try them all 😂

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Knightly16 August 2021 at 09:51

      Nice work Aly an a little different. I need to use my W&N gloss varnish on my Zulu War project to get that toy soldier effect. I assume you can just brush the gloss on the miniatures?

      Best regards,
      Helen

      Delete
    3. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 11:38

      Thank you Helen…

      I use a local hardware/household stores own brand yacht varnish (Wilko’s)…
      Brushed on straight from the tin… if you have any worries varnish a test figure first.

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    4. Knightly17 August 2021 at 00:55

      Thanks Aly, I will try the idea of one miniature first. By the way does it react to metallics?

      Cheers,
      Helen

      Delete
    5. Aly Morrison17 August 2021 at 09:04

      I use Wargames Foundry and Citadel paints and I have had no reactions with their metallics…
      I am not sure how enamels would react though.

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    6. Knightly17 August 2021 at 21:30

      Thanks Aly, that is good news.

      Cheers,
      Helen

      Delete
  9. Carlo16 August 2021 at 09:56

    Beautiful work Aly. There is something so attractive about the older sculpts painted and based in this fashion. Superb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 11:39

      Thank you Carlo…
      They always put a smile on my face…

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  10. Paul Scrivens-Smith16 August 2021 at 11:43

    These look great. I do like the retro style.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 13:50

      Thank you Paul…
      It’s not to everyone’s taste… bit I rather like it 😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  11. Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com16 August 2021 at 17:24

    They look just the thing!
    (And a good choice of scenario to aim for.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 18:23

      Thank you Ross…

      It’s a classic scenario in my opinion and it shows that you can have a decent game without having to amass hoards of toy soldiers…

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 18:25

      That said… I do like hordes of toy soldiers…

      Delete
  12. Rob Young16 August 2021 at 19:46

    I see shinys like this and it makes want to do some myself... keep trying to get started on Rose ACW armies, never mange it...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison16 August 2021 at 23:37

      Do it Rob…. You know it makes sense 😁
      I vaguely remember Rose Miniatures 20/25mm ACW…
      I do however definitely remember the wonderful 54mm figures that they made…

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  13. Rob Young17 August 2021 at 09:11

    Rose 54mm are still around though just on Facebook (used to have a 'real' website). The 30mm and below figures are mine...mine....mine...

    Sorry, tend to go all meglamaniac sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Old Nick18 August 2021 at 01:55

    Great looking Regiment. Love the look of the Jacklexcivil war figures. The gloss painting brings them to life and adds A special charm to them. I will be following this new project with great interest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison18 August 2021 at 09:23

      Thank you Mark

      The gloss look works really well with Jacklex Miniatures.

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  15. Pan Janek18 August 2021 at 09:18

    Looking good Aly! Last week I saw a big collection of minis of this type (well shiny, and at various scales) at a museum in Hame Castle in Finland. They were looking great in big numbers! I think I took some photos so I may sharte later.

    Best wishes,
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison18 August 2021 at 09:25

      Thank you Jan…

      Castles and toy soldiers…it sounds like a perfect place to visit . 😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Pan Janek18 August 2021 at 09:59

      and tanks... lots of tanks!

      J.

      Delete
  16. David19 August 2021 at 13:35

    These are lovely Aly and right in line with your shiny Napoleonics! I do love the simplicity of the figures. Your butterfly's flight is contagious however, and I worry there will be a surge of ACW painting in my future. Fortunately I have gone with 10mm ACW figures, which I can't see anyway, so might as well be spray-painted!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison19 August 2021 at 13:49

      Thank you David…
      I’ve realised the 10mm is just too small for me… although I wonder what they would look like shiny…

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  17. Mark Strachan21 August 2021 at 18:38

    Lovely stuff Aly!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wellington Man22 August 2021 at 23:24

    You're a shining example Aly. Beaautiful work, as always.
    WM

    ReplyDelete
  19. caveadsum147125 August 2021 at 09:01

    Splendidly shiny ACW troops!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)