The first painting in ages, but as I was kind of fired up to get some paint on the samples from Newline Designs [click here] that I bought at Colours last month.
It all went pretty quickly - a pleasant afternoon was spent slapping on the inks and I'm quite happy with the results..
I suppose as they were samples I should have painted some of them as Confederates, but I got carried away with the dark blue ink..! 
They are fantastically easy to paint - these sixteen took me just over four hours in the end - and a pleasant afternoon it was assisted along the way by the Japanese Grand Prix, and Marilyn Monroe in Niagara!
You'll notice that they aren't based.. this is intentional as I haven't yet decided on the rule-set I want to use, so don't know what the basing requirements will be - suffice to say that in "They Couldn't Shoot an Elephant" these guys would be enough to comprise four bases of four figures, which would represent a Union infantry regiment of about 400 men. When push comes to shove, given I'm painting both sides, I could probably chose any basing system I like but I'll hold fire for the time being..
Apart from the basing I also need to complete the standard bearer - pictures of him when he's complete..
So what's next??
Well.. the search for the ruleset continues - DG and I have just set up a small Battle Chronicler game to try out the "They Couldn't Shoot an Elephant" rules - couple of brigades a side, and we're just in the deployment phase at the moment.. I'll feedback further as the game develops.
After that, thoughts will turn to "shopping" as based on this experience I've decided that I need to place an order with Newline for either an army pack, or bargain pack soonest... just need to make my mind up which!
It all went pretty quickly - a pleasant afternoon was spent slapping on the inks and I'm quite happy with the results..
I suppose as they were samples I should have painted some of them as Confederates, but I got carried away with the dark blue ink..! 
They are fantastically easy to paint - these sixteen took me just over four hours in the end - and a pleasant afternoon it was assisted along the way by the Japanese Grand Prix, and Marilyn Monroe in Niagara!
You'll notice that they aren't based.. this is intentional as I haven't yet decided on the rule-set I want to use, so don't know what the basing requirements will be - suffice to say that in "They Couldn't Shoot an Elephant" these guys would be enough to comprise four bases of four figures, which would represent a Union infantry regiment of about 400 men. When push comes to shove, given I'm painting both sides, I could probably chose any basing system I like but I'll hold fire for the time being..
Apart from the basing I also need to complete the standard bearer - pictures of him when he's complete..
So what's next?? Well.. the search for the ruleset continues - DG and I have just set up a small Battle Chronicler game to try out the "They Couldn't Shoot an Elephant" rules - couple of brigades a side, and we're just in the deployment phase at the moment.. I'll feedback further as the game develops.
After that, thoughts will turn to "shopping" as based on this experience I've decided that I need to place an order with Newline for either an army pack, or bargain pack soonest... just need to make my mind up which! 
Great looking figures Steve. Not my period but I can see the attraction.
ReplyDeleteNewline are a much over looked company and deserve better recognition for their quality and price.
A great painting job!
ReplyDeleteYour figures stand up very well against the closeness of the camera
Regards
Rafa
Very nice job! The more I see of Newline figures the more I like them and I echo Mr Mariner that they deserve more recognition. Good idea to paint them all as Union rather than Rebel rabble...
ReplyDeleteIan
The figures and painting look good, Steve.
ReplyDeleteSurely I should know far more about the ACW since I have at least 4 ancestors who served in the CSA army . . . but I'm sad to say that I don't.
One piece of advice that I will share is that you should concentrate on infantry . . . there were very few "cavalry" actions during the "War Between the States". Indeed almost all "cavalry" was in reality only "mounted infantry".
Furthermore, work on terrain. Most actions were in rather congested terrain. I am pretty sure that "Johnny Reb" had some excellent terrain map suppliments at one time . . . and perhaps "Fire and Fury" did as well.
Good luck with your project.
-- Jeff
Oh, yes, I remember something that you should consider.
ReplyDeleteGet some of the "flat" toothpicks. Cut the round end off. Take some and cut them into shorter sections (maybe 5/8ths of an inch or so).
Glue these shorter sections into crosses. When dry, glue two of the long toothpicks into opposite "vees" of two crosses to make a split rail fence.
Be sure to build them with the narrow end of the toothpicks at opposite ends of the section.
Also do NOT put the crosses (really now "Xs") too close to the ends. Put them maybe 1/4 of the way from the ends of the long toothpicks.
You can do this rather mindlessly while watching TV if you like. When finished and dry, you can paint them (grey rather than brown . . . that's what untreated wood looks like once it is weathered) . . . or even leave them in their natural colour.
By placing them so that the ends of the toothpick sections barely touch each other, you can angle them all sorts of ways and they reall look good and are very effective for rural frontier fences.
-- Jeff
Steve these are great figures & should match my tumbling dice 20mm figs, and good value too. I do like your ink painting technique which definitly works well with the blue & grey palette of the ACW
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteSee my blog for a slight correction on the placement of the crosspieces, (I'll be posting it in a little bit.):
http://saxe-bearstein.blogspot.com/
-- Jeff
Excellent painting. Newlines are ridiculously good value for money.
ReplyDeleteMatt
Nice figures - I love this period.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteI just saw the fences that you made:
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk179/Steve-the-Wargamer/P1010176.jpg
They look very nice too.
-- Jeff