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Author Topic: Nick's new ACW project  (Read 57386 times)

Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #60 on: September 20, 2018, 08:29:45 AM »
Artillery.
DH Hill's Division at Sharpsburg had 4 artillery batteries. I'm just going to do a gun to represent each battery, unless I get into a rule set that requires more.

This first gun is Jones' Peninsula (Virginia) Battery.

There is no information about what guns this battery had. They were positioned behind the Sunken Lane on the day of the battle.

The figures I've used are the pre-painted Perry Miniatures Confederate gun. I repainted the faces to match my work and based the gun on a 60mm by 60mm to match the rest of the army.

Offline Helen

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #61 on: September 20, 2018, 09:24:15 PM »
The project and miniatures are wonderful. How do you find the painted miniatures from Perries?

All the best,

Helen
Best wishes,
Helen
Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well (V van Gogh)

Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #62 on: September 20, 2018, 09:43:10 PM »
The painted Perry Mins are good. In the photo above, I've only repainted the faces, and I only repainted them so they'd have the same definition as the rest of the figures I'd painted. But the uniforms and gun as they come. I'm wondering whether to get a regiment of the Union figures next, as I'm doing both sides but just painting the Rebs myself. They are better than you'd pay a lot of figure painters for £6 a figure, inc the figure.

Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #63 on: September 20, 2018, 09:59:00 PM »
Hardaway's (AL) Battery. DH Hill's Divisional Artillery.

This is the 2nd battery for Hill's Division.

We sell a model of the Whitworth Breech Loading gun from TA Miniatures. http://northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=8482
I wanted to use it, but it was a rare British import to the ACW, only two were at Sharpsburg, and by chance Hardaway's Alabama Battery had one of them, as well as two 3" Rifles. It was used to great effect, firing accurate long range shots at the Yankees, 'The long range and soft whir of its Whitworth bolts were the pride of the service'. (During a test trial in Southport Sands, England, in 1863, a 12-pounder breech-loading Whitworth rifle hit a target from 4.7 miles away.)

I painted and based the model, but the crew are some painted models that came with the collection Duncan McFarlane sold me at the beginning of this project. (I've already mentioned that Duncan, upon hearing of my new found interest in ACW, came hawking his old collection!)


Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #64 on: September 20, 2018, 10:10:19 PM »
This next photo is the first 'march past', just taken with a phone camera.

So this is DH Hill's Division at Antietam/ Sharpsburg.

From the left:
4 regiments of Ripley's Brigade (figures from the purchased McFarlane collection, rebased and new flags added)
5 Regiments of Garland's Brigade.  (figures from the purchased McFarlane collection, rebased and new flags added)
5 Regiments of Rodes Brigade, as described in the posts above.

I've got all 4 guns for the divisional artillery, two have been described already, two were in the McFarlane collection.

I've started the 4th Brigade, GB Anderson's North Carolina Brigade then that just leaves Colquitt's Brigade of Georgians and I've the whole division done. Unless I want to replace the McFarlane collection with figures I've painted... o_o

The next post will probably show the first Union Regiments that Artmaster are painting rather than myself.

Offline Helen

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #65 on: September 20, 2018, 11:01:16 PM »
Thanks Nick for your heads-up on the painted miniatures from Perries. Nice looking division. by the way.

All the best,

Helen

Offline DintheDin

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #66 on: September 21, 2018, 07:07:23 AM »
The more your collection is growing, the more our interest is growing as well, to see more of your so beautifully done conversions, every man of yours, looks like a real ACW soldier! Keep'em coming! Cheers!
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #67 on: September 21, 2018, 07:09:06 PM »
Black Powder 2.
I've just got a copy of BP2 as I'm attending the Warlord Games Day.

I mentioned earlier that it'll be one of the rulesets I'll be using with these figures. I was v. pleased to see there is a Battle of Antietam scenario in it! What a co-incidence. Unfortunately, although I'd like to try it out sometime, the authors have scaled up the battle to do the whole thing on one table-top, so DH Hills whole division is represented by three units. Like I said, it's well written but the way I've planned things, I want to at least once play the Bloody Lane with each unit representing the actual regiment.



Offline juergen c. olk

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #68 on: September 21, 2018, 07:44:43 PM »
Great job,nice to see you doing the research.My favorite part. And I love all those battlefields.

Offline vtsaogames

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #69 on: September 22, 2018, 06:46:14 PM »
For Antietam, you need to check this guy's scenario book https://www.wargamevault.com/product/188986/Brave-Hearts-Trembled-Regimental-Wargame-Scenarios-For-the-Battle-of-Antietam?src=hottest_filtered

I don't use them that much because I play grand tactical, where DH Hill's division would be one or two units. You want OB and terrain? Get this PDF.
And the glorious general led the advance
With a glorious swish of his sword and his lance
And a glorious clank of his tin-plated pants. - Dr. Seuss


My blog: http://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/

Offline General Lee

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #70 on: September 23, 2018, 11:09:09 AM »
nice work Nick!
\"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.\"

Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #71 on: September 23, 2018, 12:23:20 PM »
G. B. Anderson's Brigade, DH Hill's Division 1862.
I'm just sharing my thoughts with this post about the Anderson's North Carolina Brigade. I've made a start on them already, and there are two conundrums.
1) Uniforms.
I've already mentioned, North Carolina's uniform supply was one of the best in the Confederacy, they could supply their boys right up to the war's end, and had a specific pattern they tailored the uniforms to. In the first year of the the war it was a grey sack coat with black shoulder straps, grey trousers with black seam trim and kepis with black bands. In early 1862 the sack coat was trimmed back to a shell jacket. Records show the NC regiments were resupplied in August 1862, so they in theory had new uniforms for the Maryland campaign. I came across this picture of them titled Antietam, and although I think they should have short shell jackets rather than sack coats, that is how you'd paint them if you'd read the uniform histories.

In this Osprey picture, the chap on the left is in the 1862 issue NC uniform 1862:

What's the conundrum? I refer back to my Alabama posts again. The descriptions of the Army of Northern Virginia at Antietam was of a stinking, un-uniformed, ragged host of tramps, with well kept weapons. Don Troianis picture of the 6th Alabama at the start of this post fits the descriptions well. Here's what the citizens of Buckeytown said of the 14th North Carolina:
'They look hard, clothes in rags'.
'Half of them are barefoot, have not even dirty uniforms'.
'No uniforms at all'.
(arriving in Maryland in this state was part of the reason citizens didn't flock to join General Lee's army).
After the battle:
The Union troops couldn't believe what they saw when they crossed the lines next morning: The Rebels were dirty and browned. Poorly made gray uniforms like short school boys jackets. Many had no shoes. They were just the color (sic) of the ground, and so hard to be seen. (Quotes taken from J M Priests book, Before Antietam).

So my plan is to try and stick with grey for the North Carolinas, rather than a mix of brown's, butternut etc. But try and add more filth, so be liberal with the brown washes to try and get a grubby look, but with a uniform underneath. I'll see how I do. I'm just trying different grey paints right now to get one to use throughout the Brigade, the picture below shows three of the test figures. I'll share what I decided to do with each regiment when I post the finished photos.

Conundrum 2: Flags.
If you've been following this post, you'll know I feel I got the Alabama flags for 1862 pinned down. It is the same for the ANV battleflags for Anderson's division here, they will all have 2nd Bunting ANV Battleflags, and I know who has the battlehonours for Seven Pines and Williamsburg, and who doesn't. So what's the problem? 2 flags. Many sources say the North Carolinas were one of the two states that carried the Battleflag and the State flag into combat. (of course that is contradicted by the fact all students of Antietam know the Texans had both flags in the Cornfield). The conundrum is then further compounded by this marvelous book I have which has thrown more questions up than has answered!

The author shows a number of state flags, one in particular he says was captured at Antietam, but then I found a copy of a letter from the commanding officer of the 3rd North Carolinas (not in this Brigade) where he says the regiments in the Army of North Virginia were ordered to put away all their flags but the Battleflag of the ANV. They kept their state flag back, and later asked for special permission to carry the battleflag and the state flag into the field at Antietam. (The state flag survived, and its bullet ridden remains were sent back to North Carolina to be kept as a state heirloom).

I'll share my conclusions for each regiment as I post the final pictures for each here.



« Last Edit: September 23, 2018, 12:35:17 PM by nicknorthstar »

Offline FifteensAway

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #72 on: September 23, 2018, 02:44:45 PM »
"There's also the question of what they meant by "naked" and "barefoot" back then. Did it mean that people just weren't fully clothed in the style of the time - no jacket, just a shirt, for example. or shoes that obviously were wearing out, toes showing, no socks, etc? I don't know but suspect that most of these soldiers would pass for clothed and shod these days, if not clean or fashionable." quote of vstagames is quintessential common sense and shows he's studies the period. 

Again, applying common sense, a pair of shoes wearing out in two weeks beggars belief - unless they were "shoddy" to start with but that is doubtful, especially for southern supply at this stage of the conflict.  Yes, read history, consult primary sources when possible, but don't leave common sense or real life experience out of the equation.  I've backpacked some seriously rugged country and used the same pair of boots for hundreds of miles of trail (over many different trips) with barely any wear on them.  Sure, modern versus old, but the shoemaking art hasn't changed that much in a century and a half.  Good leather, well stitched, should always last longer than a couple of weeks - barring abuse and, certainly, abuse can occur. 

Love the photo of the assembled division.  Nice looking little army.

Offline Lord Raglan

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #73 on: September 23, 2018, 03:47:27 PM »
Very interesting series of posts, well done mate!!

I believe the more time spent researching your chosen regts, will certainly enhance your gaming experience, as you will be able to relate to each and every unit on the table.

Gareth

Offline nicknorthstar

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Re: Nick's new ACW project
« Reply #74 on: September 23, 2018, 07:24:50 PM »
The first regiment I'm doing is the 4th North Carolina Infantry.

I'm half way through but I thought I'd show two of them. I've tried to show the 'barefoot' aspect by having the toes poking out of figure 1's battered boot. I'm starting to think there actually were bare foot Reb soldiers at Antietam, I've just read an account of a shoe-less trooper sent off to look out for the Yankies, but as Crusader Miniatures don't do 'actual' bare foot figures, they won't feature in my army. I might try and do what I've done here a few times, and paint a representation of very poor shoes.