Johnny Reb & Billy Yank, an American Civil War Plog

[emperorpenguin]

Taking inspiration from the number of excellent project logs I've seen recently (especially the Napoleonic threads), I've decided to start my own in order to motivate myself to complete my American Civil War armies.
The Perry's are releasing plastic 28mm Zouaves in February and I hope to get most of my force painted by March

Please note that while I've been inspired by Bayard and KingoftheSquats, don't get your hopes up that my level of painting will be the same!

First up what I have painted so far





One battery of Rebel artillery and a regiment (18 figures) of Wheat's Tigers, Louisiana Zouaves.

[emperorpenguin]

I have also been experimenting with the gray-scaling technique and I think I like it! Unfortunately all my ACW and WW2 figures are already undercoated but I made a pig's ear out of my attempt to darken my Berdan's Sharpshooters so I may retry on them.

So my practice grayscale models





And the obligatory pet photo

[kingofthesquats]

Which washes did you do the second greyscale model?it's come out really well!

I really like you're ACW stuff, I can't see any real difference in quality between these models and my Napoleonics, I think you've done a great job! The cannon is very cool, I can't wait until I eventually get some artillery!

Keep it up!

[emperorpenguin]

Thanks for the compliment Kingofthesquats!

The Old Guard Grenadier was done with 2 or 3 washes of Asurmen Blue, Baal Red on the epaulettes, Devlan Mud on the musket and Ogryn Flesh on the skin.
One wash of Devlan Mud then over the white parts and the brass plate. I used Chaos Black rather than Badab Black on the bearskin.

The Rat Bagpiper has only had one coat applied so far but I'm really liking him.

[bayard-88]

Very nice! I have to start using washes, becouse the result is really good. Confederates looks great- ACW is my third (after napoleonic and medieval) favourite historical period and maybe one day I'll make some C.S. regiments (Louisiana Tigers! )

[big p from gmg]

Give 'em hell boys!




Like the Old Guard too...

[DarthSte]

Love the Zouaves!

[emperorpenguin]

Thanks guys for the compliments!

Bayard: I look forward to seeing your guys, the Louisiana Tigers are such a great unit. I ordered straw hats for mine but they never arrived, so I'll have to order them again. I plan on getting a few guys in shirts (bright red) to add variety to my Tigers. I ordered a mix of firing and charging poses which look stupid so I'm going to focus on a firing line. Must remember to plan how they will look ranked up next time!

Big P your Rebs look great! Texans too if I'm not mistaken?

Thanks Darth Ste, I will be doing Duryea's zouaves for the north too when the Perry plastics are released a month from now. My dilemma is that with 42 in a box that is far more than I'll need. I was tempted to redo the Tigers in plastic but they look wrong with baggy breeches

[big p from gmg]

Yup... Done Texans and Virginians. Just finishing the last 12 figures out of 330 28mm... Then I get to do the fancy units like Zoauves!

[emperorpenguin]

Not really happy with how my Berdan's Sharpshooters have turned out, may need to strip these guys and restart

[kingofthesquats]

How did you paint the sharpshooters EP?

[emperorpenguin]

In short: Lazily and badly!

I used Greenskin primer hoping to wash it darker with thraka Green, it didn't work.

[kingofthesquats]

Don't be so hard on yourself!

What is greenskins primer? It sounds like you've got the right idea, maybe you just need to wash over a lighter colour.

Keep em coming!

[emperorpenguin]

Greenskin primer is an Army Painter spray colour, similar to snot green.

Nearly finished a union artillery piece and crew, hoping to have an update with them and some Black Hat/iron brigade models by the weekend

[tezdal]

As a Texan living in Virginia, I absolutely love your Confederates paint jobs..Curious, what rules do you run 28mm ACW with?

[emperorpenguin]

Not sure if you mean me or Big P's Texans! But thanks if you mean me!

I've been using Black Powder primarily. I also use Legends of the Old West but less often.

[colhodg]

your painting looks damn good to me - lovely shot of the massed troops. Have to say i think a white background might help with the photo's as it reflects natural light onto the figures better, also setting camera to timer so no wobble, crisper photo on zoom especially.

on the sharpshooter - looks fine as a base and wash - you could try mixing a little yellow/sandy colour into the green for a block highlight then a little more for final highlight. not that i want to meddle with your colour scheme - impressive work so far

[kingofthesquats]

Hear hear! (Here here!?)

Your painting does look damn good! I'm looking forward to your next update. I know next to nothing about the ACW, your blog is sparking my interest though!

[DarthSte]

I know next to nothing about the ACW, your blog is sparking my interest though!

I've just read Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck chronicles. They're quite an easy way for a Brit to understand a bit about what went on. Sadly they only go as far as about the halfway point of the war. I think he went back to writing Sharpe instead.

[emperorpenguin]

your painting looks damn good to me - lovely shot of the massed troops. Have to say i think a white background might help with the photo's as it reflects natural light onto the figures better, also setting camera to timer so no wobble, crisper photo on zoom especially.

Thanks colhodg! I tried a white background but it leached all the colour out of the models, leaving them looking dark. The problem with those photos was I was using my iphone, not the greatest of cameras, because my wife's digital camera macro function was on the fritz. She got it working again so I'll be using it from now on.

Hear hear! (Here here!?)

Your painting does look damn good! I'm looking forward to your next update. I know next to nothing about the ACW, your blog is sparking my interest though!

I've just read Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck chronicles. They're quite an easy way for a Brit to understand a bit about what went on. Sadly they only go as far as about the halfway point of the war. I think he went back to writing Sharpe instead.

I first got into the ACW watching North and South back in the 80s. I loved the Berdan's Sharpshooter uniforms from that point. I've got Glory, Gettysburg and Gods and Generals on DVD EDIT (The very movies Bayard just ninja'd me mentioning!) and read John Keegan's history of the war. I tried getting into the Starbuck Chronicles but couldn't, likewise I never got into the Sharpe books (unlike the tv series) even though I'm a huge Napoleonics nut.

Anyway on with the update. Didn't manage to get as much as I hoped done these past few days.
I encountered a problem with my anti-shine spray. Not sure if I held it too close, failed to shake it enough or stored it incorrectly but it left a residue on my models. Here is how it affected my Union Artillery crew.



After a coat of Devlan mud I was able to make them look grimy and muddy instead, befitting artillery crews, but I'll want to be careful this doesn't happen to anymore figures. The mud looks extreme in the photo but it's actually quite subtle in reality.



A couple of rank and file Iron Brigade soldiers in their famous black hats



Rebel and Federal generals, still shiny as they've not yet been sprayed, horses are not done yet.