stuff

I have been trying to find a new way of painting the Rebs. You might have read my previous post about this. I didn't finish them yet (see photo) but they were quick and easy. My main concern was their clothes. I think I'll try more this way.

The bright direct sunlight is bad for picture taking but... I am busy right now so I don't have much time. Usually when the conditions are perfect I am tied up or when I have the time the conditions are not right. Oh well. I'll redo the picture once the stars are in all in line and more models are done.

The other photo is of the finally finished small band of 114th Penn. Zouaves. I only have 10 left to paint. *sigh*

BTW... the last few Zouaves are temporarily based to be glued down on a larger base, not a 20mm x 20mm… in case you were wondering. I also still need to flock them too.

Moving ahead

This past week (and over the weekend) I managed to finish 12 Perry plastic Rebs and started 6 more. The 114 Penn. is angry with me though. I try not to make eye contact with those models. It's kinda tough to do though.

While sitting around the hospital I came up with another crazy plan for my Gettysburg project. Yeah... I have crazy plans all the time. What I will try to do it to convert all the Brigade and Division commanders to actually make the model look like their dead counter parts. I don't mean zombie looking but as they did in their photos. I went through my pile of lead to start the stockpiling of mounted metal. So... on Saturday I rode out to the Warstore and bought a bunch of Perry mounted metal officers, both named and generic. The haul was about... 8 packs or so. I already own a boat load of Sash and Saber mounted officers and some older Foundry officers. It shouldn't be too tough at least I can get the beards right and that will be half of the battle. Don't be too surprised to see my likeness replacing someone but I just have to figure out who I want to be. :)

In addition to the above models I bought 2 more boxes of Perry plastics. I know what you are thinking.... they aren't very accurate and the detail is lacking as compared to the metal S&S and OG 2nd Generation. It's all true but they do paint up very quick. In total I think I've completed about 5 boxes so far. Once I mix them in with the metal figs they will be fine. Hey... I need to get a LOT of stuff painted so... I gotta do what I gotta do.

Flags are in

Received the GMB flags yesterday. Sorry about not posting recently. I have been tied up traveling back and forth to the hospital visiting. Any way I need to double check the order to make sure everything is there and I am usually too tired to give it more than a cursory look. I did manage to paint the piping on some 114 Penn. Zouaves but not much else.

More soon.

Don

Fast or satisfying

Okay there is always a division when painting, the gamers who love to paint (like me) and the gamers that would rather just game and not paint (if they could get away with it)and never painting a thing. I'm sure you've seen this thing before. You see several games underway and some guys are using a mix of: totally unpainted, undercoated and some miniatures with some paint slapped on them. The other gamers are using ONLY painted models and you can tell right off the bat from 15 feet away these guys who painted their models really put a solid effort into getting these models painted to the 9's because they care about each and every model. Both groups are having fun and why should we question either? The whole goal is to play a game and have fun, right?

I'm in the 'painted' guys group. I sometimes obsess over 'stupid' details that NO ONE will ever see or even care about but... I do. There are other times when I feel it is pointless to paint eye balls and every 17 buttons on a jacket. It never was this way with me though. I used to go totally anal on every model but it took way too long painting armies, let alone units so I could use them in a game. I was happy at the time with that approach but... now that I'm getting older, my hand is not as steady as it once was, spare time is harder to come by, my attention is split with other issues in life and I really want to use those dozens and dozens of unpainted armies that do not have a stitch of paint on them. I must admit I have been cutting corners. I need to get stuff done faster in the limited spare time I have. I have come to the realization that the painting gremlins are just a figment of my imagination. *sigh* Yes... it is true. *sniff sniff*

I seemed to have gone astray from my original thought... if I had one... but I am nowadays choosing whether to paint faster and not as well _OR_ paint as well as I can in my limited time. It seems on some days I just want to get stuff done and the next day I'm mad at myself because I rushed and didn't put forth my best effort. Am I getting old? Is this the deal? It's a dilemma which I am working with. More and more though I am trying to paint faster with the best quality that I can. I have changed my painting style in the past 3 or 4 years many many times looking for the fastest and bestest way but... so far I have not hit pay-dirt yet.

This Gettysburg project I decided to embark upon brought this whole thing to a head in the last few weeks. I need to get stuff done AND I want the models to look spectacular but... I have a feeling one will win out over the other. I was trying to do the piping on the 114th Penn. Zouaves to FINALLY get them done. I hate doing this sort of detail nowadays and I've been giving them the old 'good enough' job. Then I argue, 'Hey stupid... how many more 114th Penns are you going to need to paint? Just do it right and be done with them... jerk.' My reply to that was swift, 'Hey yourself, jerk! In the time it takes to do 10 Zouaves I can paint 30 generic Union infantry and that moves the ball forward even more than one stupid Zouave regiment jerk.'

Well... enough of this idol banter... I've got to get back to my inner argument now. See ya.

Don

Flags are on the way!!!

Received an email from Grahame at GMB. The flags are on the way. Can't wait to see the huge pile. All those Color Guards are waiting for their flags. He also said he would work on some custom flags when he gets a chance. Oh I hope he gets a chance. I want them.

Books books books...

Recently I’ve been on a buying CW books and reading frenzy. Listed below are a few of the ones I’ve completed. There a dozen more which I haven’t gotten around to yet so perhaps when I do finish them I’ll pass along my thoughts.

Anyway, Liked them all and would recommend them if you like details. Personally I have read many many books on battles and I still have many yet to read but… I’m getting tired of them. It’s rare when you read a new book that finds something different that you haven’t already read. They get written but overall not too much is new. I really like the books that focus in on small parts of a battle and you get REAL detail. You can’t beat personal accounts and what the soldiers said themselves. This is what I’m interested most of all. I want to know what they saw, felt, wore, and ate just everything! The books below fit this bill.

The books below written by RL Murray are all short, only about 40 pages or so. He relies upon memoirs or letters. There were tidbits which I had never read before so they all had merit to my way of thinking. The book about artillery tactics a bit less so because I had read this kinda thing beforeI found best. He has done a bunch of books on the topic of cavalry and all are good. He usually covers little known or written about topics. The bad thing is that they are going out of print real quick! Do not hesitate to buy what interests you RIGHT NOW and don’t wait. Protecting the Flanks I bought last year and loved it. I think it was only $20 or so at the time. Now it is out of print crazy expensive new! One seller has it for $80 and another even more! If you see them in a store buy it now. Don’t wait.

The books written by Ronald S. Coddington are very different but still fit what I am looking for. Each book focuses two or three pages just on one ordinary soldier at a time and his story with CDV. These are good. Many small stories with strange, sad and interesting back grounds.

Don

…………………………………………

Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions
Eric J. Wittenberg

Protecting the Flanks: The Battles for Brinkerhoff's Ridge and East Cavalry Field, Battle of Gettysburg, July 2-3, 1863
Eric J. Wittenberg

Hurrah for the ould flag! The true story of Captain Andrew Cowan and the First New York Independent Battery at Gettysburg
R. L Murray

Artillery tactics of the Civil War: A study of the tactical use of artillery based on the first day's battle at Gettysburg
R. L Murray

The Redemption of the 'Harper's Ferry Cowards': The Story of the 111th and 126th New York State Volunteer Regiments at Gettysburg
R. L. Murray

"Nothing could ever exceed their bravery": New Yorkers in defense of Little Round Top
R. L Murray

The Redemption of the 'Harper's Ferry Cowards': The Story of the 111th and 126th New York State Volunteer Regiments at Gettysburg
R. L. Murray

Faces of the Civil War: An Album of Union Soldiers and Their Stories

and

Faces of the Confederacy: An Album of Southern Soldiers and Their Stories
Ronald S. Coddington

Done! *whew*

I finished 12 Rebs last night and also 1 Reb Color Guard. Well.... honestly the CG isn't 100% done. I still need to glue them down and flock the base but... I'll put it in my "W" column.

Still need to finish up those 8 114th Penn. Zouaves. They are 80% done and have been sitting on my table mocking me for the past 3 weeks. After these I just need to polish off the remaining 10 of their pards. They are 50% done. *sigh* The Color Guard, officers, drummers, 2 companies and a bugler are already waiting on the color line. How long can you stay at "Shoulder Arms"? Not very but... that's the life of a miniature. :)

To keep myself on track I have created a sort of 'chart'. It is useful for buying and painting so I know where I stand. Once regiments, batteries and officers are finished I just check of the appropriate boxes. The chart lists every regiment and battery needed for both armies and how much. It will help keep me focused and make me feel as if I'm finishing stuff instead of just endlessly painting infantry and not seeming to get anywhere. Sounds like a plan? I think so.

I'd love to post an example but I can't seem to save it into the correct format that this blog thing will accept. I'll work on it some more. Grrrrrr...

Ready to ship off!

Well I have these four models ready to be shipped off. I need stuff painted and I have way too much to paint. I need to get stuff done faster than I can work on them. I have to have help so... these are examples of stuff to be painted. I painted these up a few weeks ago but I'm finally getting around to shipping them off.

Along with these painted examples I will send color photos and a lengthy description for each. I am requesting:

138 generic Reb soldiers
138 generic Union soldiers
132 Iron Brigade models
24 5th NY Zouaves

For the first two above I want them all exactly like these. The Rebs of course I want them exactly because I have plenty of a variety of uniforms already. The only difference is that I want them to change the hat colors and blanket colors. These newly painted will probably be for CSA Semmes brigade at Gettysburg.

Here are some shots from a previous photo session.

Gettysburg Daily website

Check out this link for the Gettysburg Daily. New posts appear everyday for a dose of Gettysburg fun. Who wouldn't like this?! Duh.

Don

For the III Corps:

112 companies needed and I have 42 painted - in 38 regiments

Hood & McLaws

142 companies needed and I have 41 painted - in 37 regiments


It would be REALLY cool to play it out but... to be honest it wouldn't be very
good without the brigades from the II Corps, V Corps and Reserve artillery.
Hmmmm... I'll need more men and guns.

The table space would be monstrous! I’ll probably have to spilt the tables
into action spots like:

Devils' Den
Wheatfield/Rose Farm area
Peach Orchard/Emmittsburg Road
Trostle Farm (just because it's cool-that can be played on my table)

Reb artillery would mostly be off-board to save space. You could have the
tables nearby to make it seem like one big battle though. They are
interconnected to a certain degree yet separate.

Once I have all I need painted I'll start on the 1st day's battle next. That
will be lots of fun too.

Always have a plan. I have several 'plans' so I am also working on a complete
Ultramarine Chapter with all the trimmings. I have completed one third so far
and still banging away on it. The other is this ACW plan to make BOTH complete
armies in 25mm at Gettysburg. My problem is I have too many plans and I get side
tracked. Damn those side tracking demons!!!!

Upon further review I need to buy and paint more men. Here's what I now need to
complete but NOT minus what I already own unpainted:

USA infantrymen for the companies - 420 models
CSA infantrymen for the companies - 600 models
USA Color Guards (standard bearers with guards) - 128 models
CSA Color Guards (standard bearers with guards) - 108 models

Piece of cake. :)

If I were to paint all 1256 models needed for infantry alone, paint to
completion a minimum of 6 per week it would take me 210 weeks to finish just the
regiments. That's only 2 years. Wow, that's easy! I'll be ready for the 150th
anniversary of the battle. Sweet!

This doesn't include officers, artillery and crew of the III batteries, the II
Corps, V Corps (with their guns) and the Union Reserve Artillery guns. Hmmmm...
I may have to put some overtime into this. Eating, sleeping, working, family,
the Ultramarines project and gaming are overrated anyway.

So far in the past 3 weeks I'm on schedule! Woo hoo!!!