Adventures on the Wargames Table

A little more painting for my ACW forces. A pair of pack horses and a handler for the Union army. Two more casualty/shock markers for each side. Can’t have too many! Horses by Redoubt and men by Dixon. Thanks for looking!

I hope to be running some intro games for potential new recruits to Sharp Practice soon and I thought these would help avoid any confusion as to which card represents which leader. Designed and manufactured by top chum Colin of Charlie Foxtrot Models.   All of my Leaders are based on 2p coins, so the 4mm magnet will hold them quite firmly. After my usual basing recipe (Americana Honey Brown, VMC Tan Yellow, VMC Dark Sand and Foundry Boneyard light) I picked out the numbers in thinned black just to help make them clearer.

Sharp Practice, amongst other games, lends itself very well to having Non Player Characters to interact with, or perhaps for the GM to deploy.  So with a farm completed I thought it would be good to paint up some inhabitants.  Here are a gun-toting farming family and a few farm workers. These figures are a mix of Redoubt civilians and farm workers, Dixons ACW civilians, along with some Perry ACW/AWI militia and civilians.

Initially I was a little surprised to read about snipers in the American Civil War, but really I shouldn’t have as ‘sharpshooters’ had been around in some form for perhaps a hundred years or so.  Anyway, I decided these were a ‘must have’.  This Union sniper is a Dixon’s figure. The Reb sniper is from 1st Corps and I’ve paired him with a Perry artillery limber to give him some suitable cover.  The 1st Corps set has two kneeling figures with a selection of heads - highly recommended! A while back I mentioned posting up some army pics for my Union force.  So here they are!  The gaming mat is Geek Villain, Sicily and again is highly recommended! There are still some troops to be added (e.g. cavalry and maybe a unit of Zouaves or a black/coloured unit, etc) plus a host of supports.  This lot comes in at around 100 points so plenty to be gaming with.

Perry Miniatures do a great set of wounded and dead figures for ACW so I picked up a pack with a view to making some little vignettes as scatter pieces.  However, I’ve decided to make some shock markers instead. In SP2 units can pick up points of shock that represent the cohesion of the troops being eroded as they become fatigued during the fighting.  As shock accumulates the troops become less effective and may eventually be forced to withdraw.  Hence it is very important to keep an accurate track of shock. I particularly like the figures on the right with a Union soldier helping a wounded Confederate soldier.  I’ll get another pack and paint the figures for my Rebs, so each side will have six. I’ve not yet found any suitable cavalry casualty figures so those units will have to make do with wounded infantry for the time being.  I might see about making a few more markers using figures from either the Redoubt or Dixons ranges. Thanks for looking!

Well, you’re probably getting a bit bored of seeing chaps in dark blue jackets and light blue trousers… but here’s another group of eight figures and an NCO for each of the units of sixteen, one of “right shoulder shift” and the other “advancing”. (Note - first pic has the Officer, not his new NCO) Flags to follow soon!  This completes my starting force, shown here , so I’ll sort out some army pics.

The ACW painting production line rolls along!  Two more groups of 8 advancing plus a leader. More Perry plastics and Charlie Foxtrot Models trays.  Painting recipe here .  I now have around 80 points of the North’s finest but still plenty more figures to go.

Back to the troops! Bashed out another unit of skirmishers for my Union force. Kept them fairly uniform apart from one chap who has non regulation brown trousers. Again, Perry figures, but all metal instead of the usual plastic.

These are Perry metal figures mainly from their ACW range along with a couple of bits from AWI. The fellow in the middle is a Doctor figure (as a ‘Physic’ support option) that I picked up at a show some years back, possibly a North Star model? If not playing SP2 (What!? 😂) then these will just be little vignettes to make the battlefield look more interesting.

This week I’ve also added a 12lb Napoleon cannon and a leader to my Union force for SP2. Perry plastic figures.  Artillery tray by Charlie Foxtrot Models. Painting info for the crew here and cannon here .  Thanks for looking 🙂

I’ve painted up the first unit of Union infantry in line.  With a level two leader that’s 18 points for early war and 24 points for later. All Perry plastics (right shoulder shift style) with Charlie Foxtrot movement trays. The recipe can be found here .  Next in the painting queue is some heavier firepower for the North.

The Union forces have their first troops!  Perry plastics and here’s the painting recipe: Prime with Halfords grey primer Jackets & Kepi - Foundry Union Blue shade Trousers - Foundry Union Trouser Blue shade Straps & Bags - Black Musket - GW Scorched Brown (highlight with Foundry Conker shade) Water Bottle - Foundry Slate Grey mid Water Bottle Strap - Foundry Boneyard shade Hair, beards, boots etc - Either black or dark/mid brown Some of the hats and the odd pair of trousers were painted using Foundry Bay, Spearshaft or Rich Butternut. Apply the GW Agrax Earthshade wash (well shaken first to avoid it giving too much shine), but not to the lighter blue of the trousers.  Allow to dry fully.  Then highlights of the base colours and lighter shades.  Finally a quick spray of AP anti shine varnish.  Basing as per my Confederate troops.

Here they are! That’s 78 miniatures for only £36 and is enough to enable me to build a very respectable force for SP2, with some models to spare, although I’ll add a few metal command figures too.  I already have the Perry artillery boxed set which has 3 cannons.  One was built for my Confederate force, another allocated for the Union, but I’m not sure what to do with the third?  Movement trays and bases by Charlie Foxtrot Models 😎 Here they are primed and based (foliage, grass, etc is added after the varnish). I’ll be starting with this 1861-3 list: Level 3 leader & level 1 leader (12pts) 3 groups of 8 Union Infantry (18pts) Level 2 leader & level 1 leader (9pts) 3 groups of 8 Union Infantry (18pts) Level 1 leader (3pts) 6 Union Skirmishers (11pts) Level 1 leader (3pts) 6 Union Skirmishers (11pts) Level 1 leader (3pts) Cannon & crew (7pts) For a total of 95 points which nicely matches my Confederate force.

Imagine my delight when a surprise parcel containing these arrived! Very kindly sent to me by my good friend George (his splendid blog is here ).  Thank you matey! 😎 The Paddy Griffith book looks to be especially interesting as it gives an overview of the war, weapons, equipment, organisation, tactics, etc.  The uniform reference book is jolly well timed too as I’m starting to get my Union force together. What splendid fellows gaming buddies can be eh?