Blue Moon 18mm Confederate Infantry in Havelocks

Early Civil War regiments had some very distinctive uniforms.  Partly from a shortage of uniform supplies, and partly from a desire to appear different and unique, many regiments wore outlandish colors, headgear, or cuts of clothing.  By the time both sides ramped up their mobilization in the fall of 1861, standard uniforms became, well, standard.

As the war progressed, soldiers on each side all started to look alike, and that uniformity can bore a painter very easily.  That's the reason, I suppose, that most gamers have multiple zouave regiments in their armies, even though fewer than one in a hundred regiments wore zouave kit.

Still, I like that Blue Moon has released figures in more obscure dress, and I decided to try my hand at pack 15ACW-95 "Infantry in Kepi with Havelock."  The pack has 15 separate poses in a mix of right shoulder arms and right shoulder shift.

This is one of the more useful of the early war kits, as many regiments on both sides wore havelocks.  The havelock was a hot weather cloth cover for the kepi or forage cap.  The white fabric was supposed to reflect hot sunlight, and the cloth also was to keep the soldiers' necks from getting sunburned.

The havelocks rarely lasted long in the field, as the havelock insulated the soldier's neck and made it feel hotter.  Most ended up as coffee filters!  Still, some regiments were wearing them in the East as late as the Seven Days.

It was fun to paint some rebels for the early war, when most southern regiments would have appeared more uniform.  I was worried that the monotone grey uniforms would look too drab, but the lighter grey blankets, the khaki canteen covers, and especially the off-white havelocks all worked to make these figures pretty interesting looking.

The Blue Moon figures impressed me from the start, and this pack is a good example of the sculptor's excellent style.  The muskets are robust enough to endure rough handling on the gaming table.  The figures have good proportions, and the uniforms have enough sculpted detail to guide the painter's brush.

Blue Moon 18mm British Highlanders

Although descended from highland Scottish stock myself (the MacPhee, or Macfie, or McFee clan hails from the island of Colonsay in the Inner Hebrides), I have never painted the 42nd foot, in which several MacPhees served.  Who knows, but maybe one is an ancestor.

Those highland uniforms have always been a little daunting, with their checked hat band, hatched stockings, and patterned kilts.  So when Blue Moon released their highlanders, I bought a few packs, prepped and primed the figures, and then let them sit for several months.  I started painting these figures in June, tackling them a little bit at a time.  This weekend I made the final big push and got these ready for the table.

I painted enough figures to field the 42nd Foot at full strength of 800 men in a 1:20 figure ratio.  There are 27 center company men in kilts, 4 grenadiers, 4 light company men, and five command, including drummer and piper.

The Blue Moon figures are well proportioned and attractive.  The sculptor has included an impressive amount of detail, right down to cuff lace.  I resisted the urge to make an attempt at the MacPhee tartan and painted a simplified version of the government tartan instead.

I cut away the oversized cast flagpoles, drilled out the standard bearers' hands, and inserted some .020 brass rod.  The flags are from GMB's outstanding 15mm range.  Now that I have tried their flags for a few units, I will not use anything else.  These are the best looking and most detailed flags on the market.  I always paint them with a clear matt varnish before sealing the figures with Dullcote.  Otherwise the inks will sometimes fade.

The figures all carry a backpack with blanket roll, haversack, canteen, and cartridge box.

I am very pleased with how these figures turned out, but one highland regiment is enough!  I have prepped two regiments of Blue Moon British line to fill out the brigade.  I'll be painting those as the 24th Foot and 61st Foot.

Blue Moon Union Infantry

Here are 102 Union infantry, all painted in the past two weeks.  The figures are from packs 15ACW-12 "Union Infantry Marching / Backpack," 15ACW-01 "Union Officers," and 15ACW-03 "Union Standard Bearers."  I cut away the cast flag poles, drilled out the standard bearers' hands, and added some brass rod.  Bases are Litko, which they custom cut to 25mm by 15mm.  The flags are from GMB, and they are beauties.

More 1:72 Achaean Foot

Here are the rest of the Achaean foot, finished yesterday.  There are eight archers in two poses and two heroes on circular bases.

Achaean Warband

I have four chariots to add to these armies.  I spent yesterday assembling them.  Tomorrow I'll prime them, then try to knock them out before the weekend is over.

2013 Retrospective

2013

This was an interesting year.  I took on two large commissions, caught fire on my own projects this summer, then saw my painting grind to a halt when I went back to work full time.

I started the year with a gigantic commission, a complete Commands and Colors Russian Napoleonic army for Glenn Drover.  84 horse, 220 foot, and 10 guns rolled through my painting station between January and June.  Then I spent the rest of June on another commission, also for Glenn: 205 AWI foot figures.

I had taken a few little breaks in there to work on some figures for myself, mostly to clear my head and regain my spirit.

Starting in July, I turned to my own figures exclusively.  I painted 28mm AWI British, 28mm ACW, and got started on a few 15mm figures.

Then at the end of August, I went back to my day job.  This year's teaching schedule is the most challenging I have ever had.  I took on two new classes (well, new to me): AP U.S. History and College Prep Ancient Literature.  I started the year with 176 students in six sections, although those numbers are down a bit now.  And because my school does not have a classroom for me, I have been teaching in the cafeteria.

Between preparing lessons, writing materials, and correcting essays, I have been working between 60 and 70 hours a week.  I get up at 5:30 AM, get myself and the kids ready, teach all day, pick up the kids, make dinner, get the kids bathed and to bed, correct essays and write materials, and stumble to bed around 10:30 PM.

That, unfortunately, leaves little time to paint.  Over the last four months of the year, I painted 50 28mm figures, 38 15mm figures, and 84 1/72 figures.  Ugh.  And those 1/72 figures got just the roughest of rough paint jobs.  That, my friends, is a painting drought.

It was accompanied by a gaming drought.  I like to get together with my friends and push lead around in my free time.  The only problem is that I have not had any free time.  From gaming once a month, I went to playing NO games between September and now.

Here is what I managed to complete this year:

For Commissions:
28mm Napoleonics, 220 foot, 84 horse, 10 guns
28mm AWI, 205 foot

For Myself:
15mm Romans, 32 infantrymen
15mm Gauls, 100 infantrymen
15mm ACW, 38 foot, 10 mounted generals
1/72 Trojan War, 84 foot
28mm AWI, 114 foot, 4 mounted generals
28mm ACW, 150 foot, 5 mounted generals
28mm Napoleonics, 33 foot, 5 mounted generals

That gives me a yearly total of 1127 figures.
28mm Foot: 722
28mm Mounted: 98
28mm Guns: 10
1/72 Foot: 84
15mm Foot: 170
15mm Mounted: 10

Under the Analogue Hobbies Scoring System, that makes for 5,456 points of painted figures this year.  About 5,000 of those points came before August 15th.

2014

I plan to do what I always do when I hit a painting drought: work on some 15mm ACW.  I received one large order just before the holidays, and I have another coming.  Do I really need more 15mm ACW?  No, not really.  But I do like to paint them.

I would also like to add to my 15mm Napoleonics, my 15mm ancients, and my 28mm ACW armies.  Chain of Command has definitely piqued my interest in playing some 28mm WWII games.

But my biggest goal for the new year is to play more games.  It won't be easy.  I don't see my work schedule getting any easier, especially since I will be taking classes this summer.  My wife and I have a third child on the way, due in March.  And my five year old and two year old require pretty constant attention.  So this may the latest in an annual tradition of failed goals.

1:72 Achaean Foot

Here is the complement to my 1:72 scale Trojan figures: the Achaeans who besieged and captured Troy.  Figures are all soft plastic from Caesar Miniatures.  Some of the poses are not to my liking, and one of the weapons broke during sealing(!), but the overall effect on the table should be pretty good.