Mexican-American war (game report added 4 June!)

[Redshank]

I am slowly making progress with my forces for MAW. Here we go with the Mississippi Rifles:



I wasn't sure of the officer's uniform so I just gave him a standard US Army one. (This would be Colonel Jefferson Davis no less.)



These are 15mm Old Glory/Blue Moon which I find are fully compatible with my 18mm Eurekas.


Speaking of which... here come the Mexican 8th Cavalry, so far unbased:

[OB]

Good to see those.  I particularly like the Mexican cavalry.  I wonder how well the newer Blue Moon figures fit with OG and Eureka?

[Redshank]

I wonder how well the newer Blue Moon figures fit with OG and Eureka?

Will post some pics later but I have found the Blue Moons are fully compatible with the Eureka 18mm.

[jambo1]

Lovely work, really like the Mexican cavalry, super job!

[TheBlackCrane]

Very cool to see these! MAW using Blue Moon/Eureka is something I have often considered doing so really good to see some examples.

How do you find painting them?

[Redshank]

Very cool to see these! MAW using Blue Moon/Eureka is something I have often considered doing so really good to see some examples.

How do you find painting them?

Short answer, on the whole great, although the OG/BM Mississippi Rifle sculpts were showing their age a little, I felt. That said, the OG/BM Light Mexican Infantry I have compare very well with Eureka - I will try and post some pics of the 2.

Long answer... I went with Eureka (plus some OG/BM) kind of as a compromise between 28mm 1stCorps and the 10mm So Far From God range. More practical for the tabletop and quicker to paint than 28mm, but with a bit more visual appeal from the figures than you get (or at least I get!) from 10mm; also I already used 10mm for another period and fancied a change.

The challenge I find has been to make the most of what the scale offers without falling down the trap of trying to do 28mm detail level, while still doing the figures justice. It's always about deciding when enough is enough.

[Redshank]

OG/BM Mexican Light Infantry vs Eureka US infantry:



From left to right: Eureka US infantry, OG/BM Mississippi Rifles, OG/BM Mexican Light Infantry.

[CapnJim]

A.  The figures look good.

B.  They seem to mix well.  On the battlefield, they'll do just fine.  Looks-wise, that is.  Performance-wise remains to be seen!

[jambo1]

Nice work! The two different manufacturers work really well together.

[Redshank]

Thanks for the kind words. Taking good photos of models is clearly a skill in itself and also clearly one I don't have!

Just a couple of things, 1) I am not aware of anyone doing 15/18mm Mexican Zapadores yet. And 2) although light infantry is available in shako and tailcoat, sources (e.g. Brassey) suggest that was dress uniform, but the units actually fought in an outfit that looked a lot more like US infantry, with a forage cap and short coat, in a dark blue-grey tone.

[OB]

Thanks for the pics Redshank they all work together nicely.

[jagergreen]

Good to see the MAW still getting some table time. Makes me want to get my 28s out for a go. What rules are you using?

[Redshank]

What rules are you using?

Thinking of either Live Free or Die, or Regimental Fire & Fury, but yet to playtest either.

[FifteensAway]

Don't know Live Free or Die rules but Fire and Fury (regimental and brigade) I find really wonky and very slow moving - unless playing a pretty small battle, forget getting to real determination, time will rear its ugly head before you get there.  I have friends that play the rules and I won't bother playing - too much time for too little result. 

[Redshank]

By the power of Greyskull, I resurrect this thread! After a major delay, my Mex-American War project has jolted forwards again.

Mexican 6th Infantry: using the mixed-headgear minis for a change:



Grenadier Guards of the Supreme Power (what a name)! I am happier with how these came out, even though the uniforms are fiddlier.





These are all Eureka 18mm. All unbased as yet because I am working away from home for a bit (abroad) and don't have my basing materials with me. Also, the only varnish I could get over here came out distinctly glossy for a supposedly matt product. I'll try a coat of matt when I get home.

Many of the bayonets came off, irritatingly, despite my attempts to be careful.

I was going to use the GGotSP as stand-ins for the Zapadores, but since I bought them I found other minis that would work better, so the GGotSP are not strictly required for my project (Taylor's northern campaign). Never mind, they will add some variety to the Mexican side.

Fun [internet] fact I just learned: the height requirement for the GGotSP was only 5'6".

Onto the US 2nd dragoons, stay tuned...