An ACW 15mm Rescue Project

 

A long while ago inspired by reading Thomas Kenneally’s novel Confederates I thought I’d have a go with the ACW.  As projects go it was a car crash.  The figures I bought were very nice but incompatible with each other-really incompatible.  This was not just a case of different manufactures idea of what constituted 15mm.  No Sir, I also had to contend with wild swings in sizing within the same range.  It was a shambles of a project.

I went through the usual phases of self- delusion.  Separate bases and units and they will work together.  They didn’t.  I gamely continued painting until reality dawned.  Then I stopped.

Surely, my sub conscious said, bad as this is you could make it worse by dicking around with different rule sets.  This I duly did and was rewarded with a kaleidoscope of units with different base sizes.  At that point out of both sorts and pocket I gave up.

Inevitably, like the criminal and the dog, I have returned to the scene of the outrage.   Infused with a new ruthlessness I set about wasting more money.  First, I excluded all the Battle Honours figures from the project.  Too big.  Second, I weeded out the midget offerings from QRF.  Brutal, and it left a hole in the collection.

That said I was left with a viable core of compatible figures, enough for two brigades a side plus artillery and cavalry.  Orders were placed with Peter Pig and QRF for additional soldiers.  In addition, I already have figures for the more exotic units of the War in sufficient numbers for acceptably under strength units.  Enough, perhaps, to make it 3 brigades a side.

What was needed was focus.  Unrelenting focus and resolve.  First, I’d produce a Confederate Brigade and then a Union one.  I spent 2 days re-basing and re-painting and behold my first Confederate Brigade.

Vexatious questions continue to vex.  Will the Peter Pig staff officer and standard bearer match my QRF General figures?  Maybe, certainly my QRF cavalry mainly don’t.  Dismounted cavalry? Not a bother-Peter Pig!

Anyhow, let me mark your card should the QRF figures here take your fancy.  They are all from the advancing or marching with blanket roll or light equipment packs.  Apart from the command figures-but you knew that.

High scores for variety of poses and the look of the thing, I think.  Excellent value at £2.70 a pack. Sign up for their Newsletter and you get 10% discount.  They work well with Peter Pig too.

Should you be contemplating ACW 15mm Armies I hope the foregoing was of some use to you. More ACW 15mm soon.