Copyright © 2011-2024, Paul Scrivens-Smith

Copyright © 2011-2024, Paul Scrivens-Smith

All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the creator.

Sunday 17 March 2024

A couple of dirty Panzers and some recon

Just a small submission this time, I'm working towards a larger unit of 28mm figures that are due to be finished in time for next weeks post, but to maintain my cadence of at least one post a week I've added a few more vehicles to the 12mm-ish WWII collection for O Group.



A pair of Panzer IVH and a pair of SdKfz 222 join the German forces for my late WWII games. 

All the models are from Pendraken and are nominally10mm but size well with the Victrix 12mm figures in my collection.

I've painted them in a dirty three colour scheme, the decals are from I-94 Enterprises after these were dried I added more muck and grime with a Tamiya weathering master kit. 









 

Sunday 10 March 2024

Union skirmishers and artillery


Todays post is a milestone, I have had a good search of the pile o'shame and this little lot wraps up entirely the last of my unpainted American Civil War figures!



The crew for the gun are from Crusader Miniatures, while the gun itself is one off of the Perry Miniatures plastic frame. I'm pretty sure that there may be another pack of these gunners somewhere but I could not find them.



Rooting through the boxes I also found a couple of frames of Union Skirmishers so these were quickly assembled, primed and painted.




While editing the photos, I saw that there is a lot of static grass still clinging to the figures, I've since attacked them with a stiff brush and they look a bit better although some stubbornly remains.


I did say that these are the last of the unpainted ACW figures and I now have eight 4L Really Useful Boxes full of painted ACW stuff, but I'm now eyeing up an order of "just a few" Sash and Sabre, oh dear! 


 

Thursday 29 February 2024

A pair of French six-pounders


A diversion from the American Civil War painting this week and a foray back to the Napoleonics collection with a couple of French 6-pounder cannons added to the Hundred Days forces.


The imminent release of General d'Armee 2 has got me wanting to paint Napoleonics. 


I usually represent my batteries with three guns, but an audit of the collection last year showed I had a spare French gun painted, so these two were purchased to make up to battery strength.


Both models are the Perry Miniatures Foot Artillery priming 6 pounder (greatcoats) and are lovely characterful sculpts.



A couple of close-up shots of each gun.


I made bit off a boo-boo when sticking this one together and the right wheel is very pigeon-toed, fortunately not obvious in these camera angles.



Tuesday 20 February 2024

2nd Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers

 

I currently live in Wisconsin in the heart of the Midwest and one of the most notable Union formations of the American Civil War is the Iron Brigade. One of its founding units was the 2nd Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers raised at Camp Randall, which is still there and although it's now the UW Badgers Football stadium, but there are plenty of Civil War era cannons on the grounds, so that is a bonus!


The regiment was heavily engaged with the Army of the Potomac and suffered more casualties as a proportion of its total enlistment than any other Union Army units.


The models are all from the Crusader Miniatures range are both characterful and a delight to paint. However, although the frock coats and 1858 Dress Hat are great, but they probably should have linen gaiters to represent the 2nd Wisconsin.


To give a bit of variety I did some of the men in the older issue dark blue trousers and some in later light blues, I also mixed it up a bit with the water bottle and strap colours.


The flags are from GMB Designs, and after previous efforts I managed not to get a chalky varnish effect on these ones, by the simple expedient of not sticking them on until after the matt coat!


Friday 16 February 2024

ACW Generals (3)

 
Following on from the recent Union command stands, this week the Confederates get some of their own.

The first command stand features General Robert E. Lee in conversation with Major-General Henry Heth.

General Robert E. Lee and Major-General Henry Heth

I probably mounted Heth a little too far back on the base and Lee a little too far forwards. It looks like Heth is talking to Lee but avoiding eye contact, maybe some difficult questions about "Why sir, are we on this field at all?"

General Robert E. Lee and Major-General Henry Heth

Lee's horse is my first attempt at a dappled grey, I think I need a bit more practice.

General Robert E. Lee and Major-General Henry Heth

The next base features Lt.-General James Longstreet and Major-General J.E.B. Stuart already aware of Lee's ire at Heth, Stuart likely seeks out Longstreet.

Lt.-General James Longstreet and Major-General J.E.B. Stuart 

I got a bit confused and the Longstreet model is actually the Hood model from the pack, I think it's a good fit anyways.

Lt.-General James Longstreet and Major-General J.E.B. Stuart 

All the models of the generals in this post are from the two Perry Miniatures packs; ACW46 Confederate mounted Commanders and ACW47 Confederate mounted Commanders 

Lt.-General James Longstreet and Major-General J.E.B. Stuart



Lt.-General James Longstreet and Major-General J.E.B. Stuart

The next command stand this time features Major-General George E. Pickett

Major-General George E. Pickett

This stand and the next are finished off with a couple of infantrymen left over from the Virginia firing line that I did a few weeks ago. The figures are from the ACW39 Confederate Infantry command standing pack.

Major-General George E. Pickett

The standard is from GMB Designs. I noticed when preparing the photos that it's gone a little chalky, so before putting the figures away for a future battle I've given it a coat of gloss varnish to hopefully sort that out. 

Major-General John B. Hood

More astute observers will notice that from the Perry website this model is actually supposed to represent General Longstreet, what can I say, I got a little confused, the real General Hood model will do duty as Longstreet.

Major-General John B. Hood

Major-General John B. Hood

Ten command stands over the past few weeks is likely plenty, back to painting rank and file for the next few posts.


Saturday 10 February 2024

Confederate Bushwackers

Alongside all those hifalutin generals and such I also added a bunch of nerdowells to the collection with some bases of Confederate skirmishers/militia made up of troops from the Crusader Miniatures Bushwackers

These are a lovely set of characterful miscreants and scumbags.







These bases will serve as skirmisher stands for our Picketts Charge games.

I so liked the look of the Renedra Cross & Rail Fencing that I painted last month I picked up another pack of them.


This time I decided to model one of them with a broken down end. They appear to be out of stock now in my usual places, but I'll pick up more when they become available.


It's all well and good now having several feet of fencing, I didn't have any gates. A search of the bits box turned up some Warbases 5-bar gates, I added gate posts from some balsa wood, and one of them links into the cross and rail fencing with a spare cross-piece.



I finally played my first wargame of 2024, travelling down to Galena - where General Grants house is - to play a Peach Orchard scenario with the chaps. 

Lets just say my Union forces came second!