Recently I Have Been Mainly....

 ...gloss varnishing and rebasing.

Cutting a long story short just before Christmas I decided to streamline the number of sets of rules I was using. As my main interest lies in the Black Powder era and my preference is for a relatively simple set of "fun" rules I decide to go with the old Crusader "Rank and File".

The decision to go "glossy" is another story which I will explain later. But for now let me get back to soaking those poor old Gilder figures who thought they were finally being left to get comfortable on their "forever-home bases"!

The Worst Way To Start A New Year

PERMANENT CLOSURE OF JACKLEX MINIATURES

What an absolute tragedy. Thank you Mark for trying to preserve this iconic range.

69th New York Regiment (Meagher's Zouaves)

 It has been a busy summer with very little painting or gaming. Now that the nights are drawing in however I have finally been able to finish the new Jacklex Zouaves I started in July. The whole unit is kitted out in the Company K Zouave uniform as worn at First Bull Run.

I have always liked the uniform ever since I bought my copy of the Osprey Army of the Potomac. It was the first Osprey title I ever bought and still has pride of place in my ACW book section. 

A special mention about the flags which is a very fortunate recent discovery, 

Maverick Models flags (here). Not only is the range of flags huge they are also printed bespoke in the size you want them. Simply purchase the closest sized flag (6/10/15/25/40 or 50mm) and you will receive an email asking for the exact size you want. The flags here are the "effect" version - with plain flags (no texturing) also available.

With the REVO flags I used now being more difficult to find these are a fantastic alternative.

It Has Been A While

 I have been away from the painting table for a while but finally have had a bit of spare time to hit the backlog of figures. 

I would like to get these chaps finished by Sunday. 

These are the new 20mm Jacklex sculpts by Andrew Stadden which really fit in well in size and style. Worthy additions to the range.

55th New York Infantry - Gilder Style!

 Moving on back to the Classic 20mm ACW collection I did fold and bought one last Gilder unit, this time the 55th New York.

Once again they are (my favourite) conversions from DN3 Napoleonic Belgian infantry with converted FN1 French Napoleonic officers and an Airfix standard bearer.

I plan to continue working on this project for the foreseeable future and try and ignore all other temptations! Famous last words indeed!

Jacklex Union Artillery

The addition of the Gilder Charleston German Battery had left the Union woefully outgunned. These additions tip the favour once more for the Union with 4 batteries versus the rebel 3.

I decided against the bare-chested figure this time and painted on some tasteful undershirts instead! 

My latest Gilder purchase is now cleaned up and varnished once more. I just need a bit of time to get them based up. Then I need to finish the Union dismounted cavalry and some other odds and ends.

More Gilder Goodies

These figures were the first that I purchased from the Gilder collection when it came up for sale last year. They were, until Sunday night, the last of them to be re-based. My latest purchase arrives tomorrow!

They are Hinton Hunt figures again, the trooper in kepi has been converted to an officer and now paired with a trooper in slouch hat.

The second is a converted trooper in slouch hat with an outlandish feather in his hat

 

I have some Jacklex Union artillery with the varnish drying on my paint desk which I will post at the weekend. There is then the small matter of the promised army parades!

The Last Two Gilder Union Regiments

 So here are the last of the Gilder 1964 Collection Union troops, the 6th Wisconsin and 19th Indiana regiments.

The rank and file are our old friends CS 6 Confederate Infantry in Slouch Hat with some minor conversion work.

The Indiana boys have had their muskets pulled down to a horizontal pose and (rather impressively) have real pieces of feather glued onto their hats. Officers are FN1 conversions once more and the standard bearer is CS 10 Confederate Standard Bearer.

The Wisconsin regiment have their muskets at the sculpted angle. They have plumes added onto their slouch hats. Before I cleaned and varnished them once more the plumes (all slightly different so not re-casts) were showing as slightly gloss. I therefore think they are made of plasticine sealed with nail varnish or banana oil as per the technique of the day. The standard bearer is an Airfix figure and the officers are CS 1 Confederate Officer.

That leaves me with three Confederate cavalry figures and my spending binge is then completely re-based. I have more Jacklex figures on the go plus more Hinton Hunt figures that I have collected over the years (I have just won some more HH ACW figures on Evil - Bay tonight!).

I have also started work on completing some of my older projects which is very much the order of the day for the rest of 2024. Teaser below*:

* Well you cannot have too many ACW collections, can you?

Nearing The End Of The Gilder Rebels

 With these fellows re-based I only have a small command group of Confederates from the Gilder collection left to re-base for the rebels. The figures are mainly "proper" Hinton Hunt ACW figures.

The infantry are CS 6 Confederate Infantry in Broad Hat, the standard bearer is CS 10 Confederate Standard Bearer but the officers are converted FN6 French officers from the Napoleonic range. Together they form the 2nd Virginia.

In my original post regarding acquiring these figures I mis-identified the below from the original Featherstone article as the 2nd US Infantry. I do believe now however that it could be the 2nd Virginia. 

The pose is correct, the trousers are different coloured to the tunic and they have blanket rolls. The flag certainly seems a match. I do think whoever re-based the figures before I got them changed the officers from a more enthusiastic sword waving figure!

I also note that the rifles have now been bent down from their original 45 degree angle to a horizontal position. Not conclusive proof but it would be nice to think they are the 2nd Virginia considering the impact the images had on my wargaming years.  

Next up are some rebel artillery, the base was marked as "Charleston's German Battery". A quick bit of research confirms they were armed with a mix of 12 pounders and rifles pieces. 

The crew are ACW range figures, CS 11, 12, 13 and 14. The 12 pounder is a genuine HH piece clearly marked underneath as A1 (12pdr Napoleon Gun). The rifles piece (Whitworth) is clearly a more  modern sculpt. 

I have two more Union regiments, both using CS 6 which will form my next post.

Some Of My Own Work This Time

 I have nearly completed the re-basing of the last three Gilder infantry units I managed to get my hands on which I will post next week. In the meantime here is my latest completed handywork. 

An eight base unit to add to the collection. I have a dismounted Union cavalry unit and more artillery for both sides underway which should get me to where I wanted to be at Christmas.

I have also started on the snake fencing and look to be making my first ever rubberised horsehair trees very soon. The collection finally appears to be taking shape!

Peter Gilder's 1st & 2nd United States Infantry

As promised last week here are a couple of Gilder Union regiments cleaned up and re-based.

The 1st United States, as described earlier this year, are again converted Napoleonic castings. The infantry are FN/ French Line Grenadier, the bugler is BN/20 Rifles Bugler, the standard bearer is BN/14 British Ensign and the officers are the FN/1 & DN/1 conversions we have seen before.

 Next we have the 2nd United States, again Napoleonic conversions. This time the firing infantrymen are BN/4 British Infantry, the drummer is BN/12 British Infantry drummer and the officers are once again converted FN/1 French Officer. 

And of course, the standard bearer is the old reliable Airfix figure.

I have a couple more Union regiments to finish re-basing but the next post will feature my (currently) last Gilder Confederate infantry regiment plus some more Jacklex rebs.

The artillery for both sides is also forging ahead. I also need to start the matching terrain. I have a healthy pile of rubberised horse hair, twigs, balsa wood sheets and other "vintage" terrain making material. This should keep me busy for a few more months!

The St Louis Greys And Some Skirmishers

 Finally I seem to be moving forward in 2024. I am having a real splurge on re-basing the Gilder ACW figures I amassed and have even managed to get some painting done in my own right. I will split the results over a few posts. 

First we have the St Louis Greys. Once again the rank and file figures are Napoleonic conversions and then cast in bulk. 

The firing figure is a converted FN/94 Marine of The Guard and the officer is once again the converted FN/1we have already seen. Standard bearer is a converted Airfix figure. 

The paintwork was a little more scuffed than in some of the other units I purchased.

Next are some Jacklex Union skirmish bases completed by yours truly.

Immediately after taking the picture above I managed to drop a base breaking one figure off neatly at the ankles. The language was as blue as the uniforms.

Lastly a comparison of the size match between the two which as you can see is excellent.

Next week will be more Gilder Union infantry. 

Welcome to 2024

 2023 was a bit of a rollercoaster with a lot of real life interreference which was a shame as it all started off so well. Sadly, by November even the re-basing of the Gilder figures stalled and the planned solo battle called off completely.

So welcome 2024. While I do not anticipate too much for the first few weeks of the year I can at least give an update on the Classic 20mm ACW collection.

First off the 2nd US Cavalry now touched up (the standard bearer's horse was damaged) and based.

Hinton Hunt only produced two ACW cavalry figures, same pose but one with kepi and the other a slouch hat.

I just need to add some dismounted figures which I will be ordering from Jacklex soon.

Then there is the 1st United States infantry who are now next in the re-basing queue.

The infantry are all converted HH Napoleonic figures as follows (L to R):

 FN/2 French Line Grenadier

BN/20 British Rifles Bugler

BN/14  British Ensign Kings Colour

FN/1 French Officer

DN/1 Belgian Infantry Officer (also see Maryland Guard)

FN/2 once more

Again the FN/2 figures show exactly the same imperfections which leads me to conclude they are a single figure conversion which has then been re-cast.

So best wishes for the New Year to one and all.

More Jacklex Confederate Infantry

My latest addition to the collection; some Jacklex Reb infantry in firing pose.

 The collection moves on apace, especially as a considerable amount of Gilder figures are being re-based. The next unit is a unit of Gilder Union cavalry (with a lot more Gilder infantry in the queue).

There are also a significant number of my own work nearing completion.

I am planning on bringing them all onto the field in a solo game around Christmas

The Maryland Guard

I was undecided for a long while on whether to base these figures the same way as the rest of the Classic 20mm collection. Ultimately though I think I made the right decision. The figures had been re-based once before, the spirit based varnish I added will protect them from the water based materials I used to build up the bases and can easily be removed after a soak in water. 

Perhaps (more sadly) I actually thought after they pass from my collection who will actually appreciate their importance? 

Tomorrow's "classic collections" will be Wargames Foundry, Warhammer, Front Rank etc?

Still, I intend to let them battle on for a few years longer. I am basing up some more Gilder troops, this time Union cavalry and put the finishing touches to another unit of Jacklex Reb infantry.

A Little Piece Of Wargaming History

 I have previously described how these images of the 20mm ACW wargame between Donald Featherstone and Peter Gilder really propelled me into wargaming as a hobby. 

The clearly identified Airfix figures and the (unknown to me at the time) Hinton Hunt figures plus Featherstone's wargaming books from the local library had a profound effect and took the eleven year old Matt into his life-long hobby.

When the 1964 collection came up for sale on Ebay from Hinds I could not resist diving in and grabbing myself an armful of wargaming history. 

I give you the first of the batch which is rather surprisingly made up from converted Napoleonic Hinton Hunt figures. I give you the Maryland Guard (sound of drums):

They arrived like this, plastic bases and old flocking. There are some chips but I decided not to attempt repairs - 60 years of service and still looking good!

I like to think that they were painted by PG himself. At this stage he was not the famed figure sculptor/rule writer he was to become and the Wargames Newsletter article regarding this game here certainly suggests they are all his own work. 

From the bases (and a bit of internet searching to confirm it all)  I can identify the original figures as, left to right: DN1 Belgian Infantry Officer, BN 25 British Horse Artillery Officer and DN3 Belgian Infantry Charging. Rather than one off conversions I can see from the matching imperfections that they were converted and then cast. I think the kepis were created by filing down the shakos as the heads do not match original ACW figures I have.

The flag bearer is Airfix and fortunately not brittle so he stays with the unit he has bravely led through the decades.

Finally the flags appear to confirm their authenticity. Red for the rebels and blue for the Union with unit names painted on.

This unit appears to be 2nd US Infantry. I have the 1st US Infantry in this same style.

So, removed from their bases, cleaned up with cotton swabs dipped in odourless white spirit and a new coat of matt varnish applied to the non metallic bits here are the results so far.

While I do not generally add figures painted by others into my collections I think we can say these toys are a worthy exception. More of these gems to follow, plus their Jacklex colleagues and a foray into home casting for the rest of 2023.

Back in The Saddle #2

 Summer has gone, and the "busyness" of everyday life appears to be subsiding a little. As a result, I have had time to make a small addition to the Classic ACW collection in the form of these lovely Jacklex rebel cavalry.

Lead by "Sir" these Kentucky boys are on the move and looking for trouble. 

There are a lot more ACW goodies coming in both 20 and 28mm. Including some lovely vintage 20mm Zouaves.

A Smaller Post Than Advertised

 This week has been rather busy. When I retired I "treated" myself to a greenhouse (how pensioner-ish is that?) Due to COVID demand for greenhouses has been phenomenally high and I was given a date of mid September before it could be delivered. Last week however I received a call, it will be delivered this coming Tuesday. The problem is that the base it will sit on was still occupied by an old galvanised steel shed, complete with 13 years worth of accumulated "stuff". It is now gone and so has the "stuff".

Little time left for painting then. In fact I have only been able to base up the Jacklex Confederate infantry unit I painted last week. 6 stands of marching glory.

I am not sure how much painting I will get done this week but for the rest of the month I will be continuing with the 28mm Perry ACW figures so that by September I will be able to host my long threatened game on club night.

Finally, remember the puppy? The one who seemed to have incredibly gangly legs she could never possibly grow into? Well, Lottie's eight months old next week and all growed-up looking:

Yes, she really is that shiny!

Until next week.

A Small Addition To The Union

This week has been rather busy so I have only been able to produce this six base Union unit; this time using the Jacklex "Confederate Infantry Advancing in Kepi"  simply painted Union blue with blackened gum blankets.

This is the last of the Jacklex Union infantry I currently have - so a small dent in the lead pile has been achieved. I have plenty of Confederates to paint so I will complete them before I put in another order (honest!). 

The idea is to complete both Civil War projects this year, but as I have a tight deadline on the 28mm collection that will take precedence. However, not before I post some of the new Jacklex French in Mexico figures next Sunday.

Eeeeeyes Right!

 So, after eight months, three surgical procedures and countless pokes and drops into my eyes sight was restored to my left eye a few weeks ago. I have to say the whole thing has been highly unpleasant. I had no depth perception so I could not paint or judge distances with any certainty. My right eye could only really focus on things about ten inches or so away and preferably backlight so my Kindle, tablet etc have been life-savers.

So I was jolly glad to start painting again about three weeks ago. It took some time to get back in the swing (my eyesight is about 80-90% of what it was before) but as you can see I have added quite a few figures to the Classic 20mm project. Figures are all Jacklex.

Sir taking the salute - I need to add a few more bases I think.

I have added another seven base unit in my favourite advancing pose and have one more such unit left to paint before I need to put in another order.

I have even had time to add to the rebel ranks.

Butternut - this season's must-have.

During my enforced absence I have obviously had a lot of time to make plans, especially now as I took the decision to take early retirement in February.  The plan is to post every Sunday as a motivator. I will be concentrating to begin with on the 20 and 28mm ACW collections plus the French in Mexico using the excellent new Jacklex range which frustratingly was launched a few weeks after I lost my eyesight.

There is no guarantee that my eyesight may not go again but for the moment I am enjoying life once more, especially as the day before my last surgery I picked up my new best friend, Lottie.

Lottie is a 6 month old Labrador cross who did not have the best start in life. Her three previous owners were all working families who probably didn't realise how much work is required with a very intelligent and energetic puppy. 

In true "One Dog and Her Man" style it seems want she needed was a pensioner to train. She's got him walking her at least twice a day, throwing a ball and even convinced him to get her a paddling pool for fun in the garden. Clever girl!