It's been a long time since I posted, but this time for the best of reasons- I've been making progress on painting for a change!
First though, I have decided after all to go with collecting both sides for the Battle for Olustee, Florida, in 1864. For one reason and another this battle has really captured my imagination, and more importantly I actually have most all of the figures I need, at least for the Union.
Here is the orbat for the Union side:
Colonel William B. Barton's Brigade
- 47th New York Infantry, Col. Henry Moore
- 48th New York Infantry, Maj. W. B. Coan (Col. W. B. Barton)
- 115th New York Infantry, Col. Simeon Sammon
Colonel Joseph R. Hawley's Brigade
- 7th Connecticut Infantry, Capt. Benjamin F. Skinner (Col. J.R. Hawley)
- 7th New Hampshire Infantry, Col. Joseph C. Abbott
- 8th United States Colored Troops, Col. Charles W. Fribley
Colonel James Montgomery's Brigade
- 35th United State Colored Troops, Lt. Col. W. N. Reed
- 54th Massachusetts Infantry (colored), Col. Edward N. Hallowell
- 40th Massachusetts Mounted Infantry, Col. G. V. Henry
- Independent Massachusetts Cavalry Battalion, (Maj. Stevens)
- Battery B, First U.S. Artillery [Elder's Horse Battery] (4 pieces) Capt. Elder
Artillery, Capt. John Hamilton
- Battery E, Third U. S. Artillery (6 pieces), Capt. John Hamilton
- Battery M, First U. S. Artillery (6 pieces), Capt. Loomis L. Langdon
- Sections C and B, Third Rhode Island Artillery, Lt. Henry H. Metcalf
- Companies A and E, 1st New York Volunteers (engineers)
Basically I have enough figures for all the Union forces, except for the 35th USCT, the cavalry, and the mounted infantry. I'll probably take the Perry Miniatures route for the cavalry and mounted infantry (especially the plastic cavalry).
I am well within reach of finishing the 7th New Hampshire Infantry under it's Colonel, Joseph Abbott. Interestingly, it appears that this regiment had a fair number of French Canadians in its ranks.
"Refurbished" Dixon Miniatures, with one Rafm bugler in amongst them. Dixon minis go back a while, and seem to be pretty unfashionable amongst gamers these days, what with their chunky proportions, much-maligned "pumpkin" heads, and increasingly stiff competition from companies like Old Glory and particularly the offerings from the Perry twins.
Yet I like them and for some reason I always enjoy painting them, not something I can say for a lot of minis out there, no matter how exquisite the castings.
Note I did say "refurbished". I had a number of these figures painted already, but to my chagrin I realized that the blue I had used on the trousers was much too light a colour, and I had spent time shading and highlighting the coats and pants with a result that honestly did not really add anything to the appearance of the finished miniatures.
To make matters worse the clear spray varnish I had used had "clouded" on about half the figures. A flat spray undercoat on flat-finished figures is risky; moral of story, varnish minis by hand with a semi-flat coat before spraying on a topcoat. This seems to have eliminated the problem.
I have also learnt that that the deep folds in the Dixon castings mean that it really is not necessary to spend a lot of time with shading and/or highlighting. Not only does this considerably speed up the painting, but by keeping shading to a minimum, I find that this somehow makes the Dixon figures look a lot less "squat". I really don't know why, unless it is that horizontal shading has a "shortening" effect on figures which are already short enough already!
Likewise, the use of a dark brown undercoat in the faces while highlighting the flesh areas and leaving out the eyes actually seems to improve the look of the unit. You really wouldn't see eye details at this scale anyway!
When the New Hampshire boys are ready- I have two days off this week so I'm looking at Friday as being a reasonable deadline- I will start on the 6th Georgia of Alfred Colquitt's Brigade for the 'Secesh, and prepare an artillery battery and the 115th New York- the "Iron-Hearted Regiment", recruited in the Mohawk valley- for stage II.
Finally, my old friend Dave Morgan sent me these photos of a recent game held at his place (Somewhere in Washington State) along with his son, Sterling, and some neighbours. Dixon and Rafm figures, and quite a few of those seen here I remember having had the pleasure of shooting down in droves many (many!) years ago when we both lived in Vancouver BC.
Click on each image for a larger view.
Thanks for the photos, Dave. I really was taken by the rustic simplicity and old-craft charm of those buildings!
I am well within reach of finishing the 7th New Hampshire Infantry under it's Colonel, Joseph Abbott. Interestingly, it appears that this regiment had a fair number of French Canadians in its ranks.
"Refurbished" Dixon Miniatures, with one Rafm bugler in amongst them. Dixon minis go back a while, and seem to be pretty unfashionable amongst gamers these days, what with their chunky proportions, much-maligned "pumpkin" heads, and increasingly stiff competition from companies like Old Glory and particularly the offerings from the Perry twins.
Yet I like them and for some reason I always enjoy painting them, not something I can say for a lot of minis out there, no matter how exquisite the castings.
Note I did say "refurbished". I had a number of these figures painted already, but to my chagrin I realized that the blue I had used on the trousers was much too light a colour, and I had spent time shading and highlighting the coats and pants with a result that honestly did not really add anything to the appearance of the finished miniatures.
To make matters worse the clear spray varnish I had used had "clouded" on about half the figures. A flat spray undercoat on flat-finished figures is risky; moral of story, varnish minis by hand with a semi-flat coat before spraying on a topcoat. This seems to have eliminated the problem.
I have also learnt that that the deep folds in the Dixon castings mean that it really is not necessary to spend a lot of time with shading and/or highlighting. Not only does this considerably speed up the painting, but by keeping shading to a minimum, I find that this somehow makes the Dixon figures look a lot less "squat". I really don't know why, unless it is that horizontal shading has a "shortening" effect on figures which are already short enough already!
Likewise, the use of a dark brown undercoat in the faces while highlighting the flesh areas and leaving out the eyes actually seems to improve the look of the unit. You really wouldn't see eye details at this scale anyway!
A closer look at the 7th New Hampshire.
One base has already been completed, two more have been textured and are ready to be painted.
One base has already been completed, two more have been textured and are ready to be painted.
When the New Hampshire boys are ready- I have two days off this week so I'm looking at Friday as being a reasonable deadline- I will start on the 6th Georgia of Alfred Colquitt's Brigade for the 'Secesh, and prepare an artillery battery and the 115th New York- the "Iron-Hearted Regiment", recruited in the Mohawk valley- for stage II.
Finally, my old friend Dave Morgan sent me these photos of a recent game held at his place (Somewhere in Washington State) along with his son, Sterling, and some neighbours. Dixon and Rafm figures, and quite a few of those seen here I remember having had the pleasure of shooting down in droves many (many!) years ago when we both lived in Vancouver BC.
Click on each image for a larger view.
Thanks for the photos, Dave. I really was taken by the rustic simplicity and old-craft charm of those buildings!
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