Saturday, April 9, 2016

Some thoughts on current and future projects...

Well, I'm currently working on 28mm ACW for a Vicksburg game that I will run at Nashcon in May. I always like to choose a scenario that I don't have everything ready for, so that I'll need to paint and build terrain. It's always good to have a challenge!

15mm Shiloh game is on my gaming table at the moment.


I need to paint 85 Union infantry (4 units) , and I'm ahead of schedule there. I have painted 65 and just have a 28mm unit of Sash and Saber "Western Federal Infantry" on the painting table (20 figs). I also painted 4 siege artillery pieces and crews, and am painting an officer or two as well. I had planned to paint all March and April and then focus on terrain the first few weeks of May and then have the game ready by May 20th (for a test play) and then ready to run at the convention on May 27th. It looks like I'll be done painting soon, so I can start on my terrain earlier than planned.

Some of the Siege guns for the Vicksburg game. These are Perry castings.


As far as terrain, I'll be using two mats (makes it easy to travel with and set up) laid over some carved styrofoam hills. It should look great I think! I'll then need a lot of earthworks and forts for Vicksburg, but I have some experience with making these and I can cut them out of extra foam, paint them brown, add some sand, dry brush and they will work fine. I've been combing the yard for small sticks as well too for use as abatis! I'll definitely take some pics of the game and post them when ready!

On another note, I think I'm done with starting new periods in 15mm. That was my "go to" scale for years, but I've been transitioning to 28mm figs. They look better, I can see them better, and for me they take about the same amount of time to paint. The only downside is that they take up much more room on my 8x5 gaming table. I will still add to my existing 15mm armies (Nap, SYW, ACW and AWI), but as one of my friends says..."no new periods"! How about you?

I will add to my 15mm SYW Austrians and Prussians soon I think. I've been looking some Blue Moon figs and they look great! I'll either break out Koenig Krieg, the new Age of Reason, or my favorite SYW rules from Dean West - Final Argument of Kings.

I have a bunch of Old Glory 15mm French and Austrians for 1809 that still need some work too, and I haven't played NAP's in a while. We used to play a lot of "Napoelon's Battles", but I haven't found a set of NAP rules I'm fond of since then. I'd like to switch to a tactical set of rules. Maybe I should try "General de Brigade"? Any suggestions?

ACW Union on the painting table along with some Frostgrave fantasy figs.


The 15mm AWI will have to wait, since I'm thinking about leaping into 28mm or 40mm (Sash and Saber) AWI in the future. there 40mm stuff really looks great!

I have added 10mm ACW to my collection, which is ridiculous since I have it in 15mm and 28mm, but as they say, collecting is Hell! My friend, John, gave me some 10mm ACW a couple years ago and I enjoyed painting them, so I guess why not have my favorite period in three scales? My friend Chris is also painting 10mm ACW, so it has helped keep me interested in painting it. I don't have a lot , but the collections is growing! Oh, I forgot to mention I have ACW in 2mm too! I guess I just need 6mm!

As far as future projects, I have a box full of 28mm Old Glory (and some old Mini-Fig) Boer War figs that I think I'll start on soon. I had this period a few years ago, sold it off, and have regretted it. We used to have fun playing The Sword and The Flame back in Tallahassee at the gaming club.

I've also been thinking about 28mm Mexican - American War. It's a less well known period, but there are lots of colorful units and some great battles and campaigns to fight! I'm thinking about building the OOB for "Buena Vista".

Naval has been pulling at me too! I'm thinking about 1/2400 pre-dreadnoughts, especially the Spanish-American War period. Or maybe I'll do Ironclads again? You never know, but that's what makes it fun!

I was at Shiloh recently. This is the Confederate view of the Federals across Duncan Field. The Federals were in the woodline (The Hornet's Nest) and were being hammered by Ruggle's concentrated CSA batteries.


Of course I've been thinking about getting into 28mm NAP's as well, but I just keep holding off! Maybe in my next wave of future projects! So what are you working on?

Take care and good gaming!

Cory