Looking to get into ACW, any help ?

[jetengine]

So I'm interested in starting ACW. Its a non existent era in my gaming circles here in the uk. One thing that interests me is that it seems fairly easy to paint compared to napoleonics, the uniforms are nicer (Shakos just dont look great to me, and earlier stuff is a little too fancy) and theres TONS of info. Also tons of scales and models. I intend to use Rebels and Patriots since I like smaller games.

Anyway can anyone give me some advice on sources for information about the war itself (I know the very basics, started with confederates firing on a union fort, bull run was horrible, union did badly till.....Sherman(?) turned up and started rolling over confederates, ended with a fence ruining everything) and some of the miniature ranges

[Leunstoelgeneraal]

Paddy Griffith: Battle in the Civil War - chockful information and illustrations especially for the wargamer.(ISBN 1-869871-00-6).
Curt Johnson and Mark McLaughlin: Battles of the American Civil War - description of twelfe major battles, again with lots of pictures and maps. ISBN 0-283-99154-2.

After you have read these, you can safely look for the tens of thousands of other books ;-))))).

For uniforms first look on Internet. Re-enactment groups galore, with lots of colour photographs. Tons of interesting websites (Google is your friend).

And last, but not least: decide what kind of "battles" you like. The best scale is 15mm (lots of variations) for larger activity, 25/28mm for more skirmish purposes - say one or two hundred figures on the table, or perhaps even smaller (perhaps this shows my personal inclination is notso much into skirmish ;-)).

Fun books to read: the Army of the Potomac trilogy by Bruce Catton (no doubt cheap as secondhand paperbacks).

[Leman]

As above I would highly recommend the Peter Pig 15mm range which is extremely comprehensive, well sculpted and a joy to paint. For more on the painted figures visit Fat Wally’s website. At the moment PP have just produced a surgeon at work, with staff, and also stretcher bearers. There is a very good range of Confederate generals, but as yet he has to produce the Union equivalent, although these are in the pipeline. Once you get reading, you’ll find that the man who really swung it for the Union was Grant. Initially he rose to prominence in the western theatre, with Sherman as his right hand man. When Grant was called east by Lincoln, Sherman took over command in the west, defeating the Army of Tennessee around Atlanta before cutting a devastating swathe through Georgia in his march to the sea.

The eastern and western theatres are quite distinctive, particularly in the flags carried by the Confederates (they did not regularly use the familiar, square battle flag with the white borde)r. In 1864 the Army of Tennessee mostly adopted their own version, which was rectangular without a border. Even the uniforms looked a bit different, the Union troops in the west preferring slouch hats and the Confederate grey often being a lighter shade than that worn in the east. Equipment, such as 6pdr guns, tended to be used later in to the war than in the east, particularly by the Confederates.

There are also a number of myths which should be dispelled early on, eg Confederate Butternut. This was worn a fair amount in the early war before the Confederate uniform supply system was properly established. Troops were clothed from home, often using home dyed butternut fabric. However, many brownish coloured uniform articles in museums today were originally grey and faded to brown owing to the poor colourfast technology of the time. Also, the variety of grey was pretty wide, ranging from almost white to a darkish blue grey (leading to some noted friendly fire incidents). Another myth is the ragged Confederate soldier. This is probably most true of the Army of Northern Virginia in the Antietam Campaign 1862. After that the supply system improved and Union troops remarked on how much better uniformed was the ANV at Gettysburg in the following year.

 If you can get hold of a copy of Paul Stevenson’s Wargaming in History: The American Civil War, first published by Argus in 1990, this will give you a very good introduction to organising two wargames forces for the ACW. For a bit of esoteric info on Confederate uniforms try this site:

http://www.adolphusconfederateuniforms.com/

Finally, there is a superb magazine available at a remarkable price (about $12 a year) called ACW Gamer.

http://www.acwgamer.com/

[zippyfusenet]

"Anyway can anyone give me some advice on sources for information about the war itself..."

How much do you like to read? I estimate there are more books currently in print in the English language on different aspects of the American Civil War than on any other single subject. It was a big, long war, millions of men and women participated, most of them were literate in English and wrote about their experiences, it was an era of cheap print technology and mass readership, and Americans were and remain intensely interested = oceans of printed pages with no end in sight.

Bruce Catton's Civil War Trilogy is a classic pf pop-history, perhaps a bit dated, and Catton loved a good story even if the source was dubious. Great reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Cattons-Civil-War-Boxed/dp/1898800227

Battles and Leaders of the Civil War is another classic, a vast collection of articles by veterans, of high and low rank,  concerning their personal parts in the battles and campaigns:

https://www.amazon.com/Battles-Leaders-Civil-War-Set/dp/B000AP54HO

[Leman]

The Gettysburg Companion by Mark Adkin is a large and beautifully produced and illustrated tome. Everything you would want to know about the pivotal battle of the war. For a totally different late war perspective though, Wiley Sword’s The Confederacy’s Last Hurrah about the Army of Tennessee’s Nashville Campaign in late 1864 is a terrific read. One of my most treasured possessions, which I received for my 18th birthday back in 1970, is Arms and Equipment of the Civil War, by Jack Coggins. He is an American artist who wrote this book and filled it with drawings of uniforms, small arms, artillery, wagons, ships, ammunition and so on. As a young wargamer this was an absolute treasure trove for me, and all these years later I still refer to it. If you see it listed anywhere grab a copy. Perhaps the most visually inspiring book I have on the subject.

[tuco74]

Ken Burns 'Civil War' series is available on Netflix and highly recommended.

Bruce Catton is definitely recommended for reading. I'd also recommend James M. McPherson 'Battle Cry Of Freedom' as a good single volume account of the war.

If you're looking for 28mm then Perry are probably the go-to range but I also like the look of the 1st Corps and Steve Barber ranges.

[armchairgeneral]

The Crusader range is really excellent and has had a lot of recent additions.

[vodkafan]

With regard to sourcing figures, if you don't mind mixing and matching manufacturers, I can recommend keeping an eye on Colonel Bill's site. He has second hand figures in small "wargamer friendly" lots which are ideal for Rebels and Patriots where you only need 6 or 12 for a unit.

[Harry Faversham]

All interesting stuff, but about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Fear not though, Flash Harry to the rescue!
What you really need is practical assistance. To this end I will very kindly sell you everything you need to become a proper 'Old Skool' 30mm American Civil Warist...
Shop at Honest Harry's, you know it makes sense!!!

 

[Harry Faversham]

I'm reading this novel at the moment, 'Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara, it's pretty unput downable. A friend of mine says there's a TV series been made about the Battle of Gettysburg based on the book?

[Belisarius]

I second Tuco’s suggestion of Ken Burns tremendous Civil War series , the contemporary music played in it stays long in the memory.  Another useful tool to consider is a good board game. I have GMT’s        “  For the People “ set up on my table , invaluable for giving the whole sweep of the war . The map stretches from Texas to Maryland.

[SteveBurt]

For really big battles, I'd recommend 6mm.
15mm for medium sized
28mm for skirmish.

Having said that, all my ACW stuff is 20mm, and I play large, medium and small battles with them.
Fire & Fury, Longstreet, Sharp Practice are all good set of rules, and all at different levels.

[Leunstoelgeneraal]

Harry: Killer Angels by Michael Shaara was made into a movie, I don't know about a TV-series. See here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107007/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1.

Shaara's son, Jeff, wrote an impressive list of books (https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=jeff+shaara&i=stripbooks&lo=list&page=2&qid=1559902608&ref=sr_pg_1), one of which was Gods and Generals that was also made into a movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279111/?ref_=tt_rec_tti

Jeff Shaara, BTW, did not write only books on the Civil War but a number of others for different periods.
Dangerous to read, of course, because of the syndrome "Oh, that's a nice period/army too !" with which I at least suffer under tremendously ;-)))))

[Harry Faversham]

Thanks mate. If memory serves it was shown in Blighty over three nights, that's probably why I thought it was made for tele?
I do well remember it had a pantheon of, the then current stars, playing the lead figures.

[Kitsune]

I'm reading this novel at the moment, 'Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara, it's pretty unput downable. A friend of mine says there's a TV series been made about the Battle of Gettysburg based on the book?

The film might be what you are thinking of. Its four hours long, so long enough to be a TV series!