25mm French and Indian War

Over the past week I have painted up some more figures for the French and Indian War (Seven Years War in North America) that have been sitting on my painting table way to long.

I completed the 10 British Artillerists and 2 Cannons, 20 British Independent Company Soldiers, and am getting started on some more figures for the French La Sarre and Guyenee Infantry Regiments and the Command for my Compagnies franches de la marine. I think most of the those figures have spent the better part of two years on my painting table. All toll it is 76 figures, most of which are at least half-painted. I'll just say cross-belts and be done with it.

Looking in the British box I see another 20 Rangers in the half-painted stage plus a full Regiment of Foot plus the Royal Americans in Hunting Shirts,that are at least half-painted. The French box is even worse with three battalions of figures painted white many with the black bits already painted.

I have to get out of the habit of starting one project and jumping to the next, very very bad habit.

25mm Guals

Okay, I know a project flop for the weekend, however I pulled out my 25mm Guals for the annual I should really do something with these figures weekend. I have Caesarian Romans to, however I haven't really done anything with them either since they got painted up fo the release of Warhammer Ancient Battles. And this year I actually did do something with them, can you say painted cross belts or the gallic equivalent anyways.

I finished the 32 Gaeseti Mercenaries for playing in the Punic Wars period, plus 48 Swiss - Heleveti Tribe - warriors for 16 stands, got a good start on 16 Javelinmen and 16 slingers for all of those figures I will ever need.

Somewhere I have the Chariots done for the period, will have to get some cavalry for the Caesarian period.

15mm Napoleonic Figures

On Saturday Tom Zwirn handed me a box of 15mm Napoleonic figures that he painted for me, included were 100 Austrian Landwehr, Charles Legion (Prague Students and Mahrisch's Battalion) and Viennese Volunteers and 50 French Young Guard and 16 Sailors of the Guard.

Always nice to get more painted figures in the collection, wish there was more interest in the period.

Completed 2 Sections of Confederate Artillery for Brother Against Brother

While it isn't a huge under taking I completed two sections of Washington's Louisiana Light Artillery for Brother Against Brother. This includes 11 Artillerists (1 Officer and 2 NCOs and 8 Privates) and 2 Union 12# Napoleonic Guns.

I purchased a bag of Union 12# Napoleonic Guns and if the project gets large enough will pick up a confederate 12# Napoleonic Gun Bag I just can't justify $35 ($21) to get two guns and let the other four just sit there for now. Considering most people can't tell the guns and limbers apart I am okay with it for now.

Next on to completing the 20 Louisiana Tigers I have started plus some more terrain.

June 25th - ACW my place

My wife (future ex-wife) and Son will be out of town the weekend of June 25th and 26th, leaving me to my own devices. Seems like a perfect oppertunity to get in some extra, wait considering how little I game lately ANY, gaming in. I am really not in the mood to game in public, I might be a bit too high strung and ready to go ballastic on too many people to endure a ReCON!.

My Goal is to put on a smallish game of Brother Against Brother putting on about 6 squads a side plus some artillery.

I have been working on finishing up some 25mm Terrian, have a plan for some Corn Rows, and maybe break down and get some other road sections done. I hope to purchase a building from JR Miniatures and maybe a barn, however I am committing to get a lot of stuff painted between now and then.

If I can't get stuff painted will fall back on a 15mm Game either Rally, Fields of Honor, or Fire and Fury, there are enough of those figures floating around.

1862 Project Google Document

The following Google Spreadsheet is openly viewable for those people that want to follow this link.

Brother against Brother

Years ago I purchased a number of 25mm ACW figures for a couple of projects, the first was attempting to do 25mm Mass Combat (cough Gettysburg Campaign cough). I have/had a fairly substantial collection of 15mm figures, mostly Confederate Troops that were supposed to be for a number of failed campaigns. Right now I think I have at least 75% of the Army of Northern Virgina, short Artillery and some of the Specialized Figures at 1 stand = 100 men and 1 gun = 1/2 battery.

Lately I have been painting up the 25mm figures which have been in a box unpainted for at least eight years. The Union I Corps at 1 stand = 50 Men painted at paper strength is coming along, with four Regiments of thirteen Regiments completed. There are another two regiments in the works on the painting table. For the Confederates I have been working on Heth's Division of with two regiments painted and one more on the painting table. So now that I am getting to a point where I will be able to demonstrate the game and attempt to get other interested in painted time to look at some other figures.

I have 60 Zouaves with Straw Hat that I purchased for a Brother Against Brother (BAB) project that never went anywhere. Like so many other projects I got started in more than a decade ago my partners all disappeared when it came time for the rubber to hit the road.

I think I am going to try and get a some number of figures done for BAB as well. it really won't take many figures to make two playable forces and I have a good start at some terrian. Arguably to make two armies to allow 6 to 12 players a chance to push figures and roll dice I am talking 60 figures a side, give or take a couple.

In talking with Tom Zwirn, who has an interest in doing 1861, an idea sprung into my head over the weekend, 1861 for BAB. Units would be relativily small and there would be a wide variaty of uniform options available.

The Two Forces I plan on painting or Wheat's Tigers and 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment, being the two forces collided at the First Battle of Bull Run it is a fitting grouping.

What is interesting about the Two Units is the detail of the Uniforms that are available for the 1861 Campaign. I personally like the Kentish Guards for the 2nd Rhode Island.

To start with I will be painting 30 to 40 figures in two companies for both sides. Starting with the Tiger Rifles and the Kentish Guards, my goal is to have 40 figures in each of the Companies (four squads of 10) with one Squad being the Color/Guard and three Squads of Troopers. Both Sides will end up with Five Companies, that 200 figes a side, which I think is reasonable.

For the Wheat's Tigers:
Company A - Walker’s Guards – (WBS-41 – Zouaves with Fez)
Red Fex, Blue Tassle, Dark Brown Jacket Red Trim, White Pants with Stripes
Company B - Tiger Rifles – (WBS-42 – Zouaves with Straw Hats)
Straw Hat, Dark Blue Jacket, Red Trim, Grey Pants)
Company C - Catahoula Guerrillas – (WBS-39 – Zouaves with Kepi)
Blue Kepi, Dark Grey Top, Red Trim, White Pants
Company D - Delta Rangers
Red Fez, Red Tassle, Dark Blue Jacket with Red Trim, White Pants with Blue Stripes
Company E – Wheat’s Life Guard
Red Fez, Blue Tassle, Dark Blue Jacket with Red Trim, White Pants with Light Blue Stripes

I don't have all teh details yet on the 2nd Rhode Island, so stay tuned.

Company H - Kentish Guard