After some gluing up, I finally organized the Zulu War Cavalry… even some mounted Infantry to be redcoated yet.
I started with the 17th lancers from my spares box… and followed with some NNC Cavalry (also from the SB)… but the Natal Mounted Police and Carbineers come from GREG… after organizing and basing (pending flock) I did a surplus contingent of mounted Infantry.
Curiously enough, I can be heterodox in the basing because small colonial affairs permit it (IMHO)… but I am quite ortodox in basing with big conflicts like the ACW (but for Artillery Commanders and other markers I use (deviating from the more popular Rulesets!)… all is a matter of personal satisfaction I guess.
I am waiting for a small parcel from “Greg” (yet again), it would contain some carts with bullocks and some Natal Mounted Police & Carbineers + Durnford and Vereker (If they are spelled like that which I doubt)… too many visualizations of ZULU DAWN I guess… has little mistakes but a much better film that the recent Ridley-Scott NAPOLEON extravaganza… (I would have written a much better script myself & other thousands of armchair generals).
So, getting to the point… I perused in the “spares box in 6MM” (never throw away anything is the correct approach in any scale) and rescued some ACW Rapier cavalry that I painted as NNC Cavalry (both mounted and dismounted); but as it is I found a lot of surplus of Prussian Dragoons Standard-bearers and with very little customization are now converted into the 17th lancers (of ULUNDI policing the Empire fame).
And what’s more!… found a half painted Romans Command figures that I complemented with an Arab Lancer posing as a Numidian Prince… and what not!…
I even went as far as converting with a paint job only of the figure three 21st lancers to make up the numbers of the 17th (from kakhi to dark blue)… they are the first case of doing a “transfer of men between Regiments” (LOL).
Have some pics!… BTW it is really easy to paint 6MM… believe me… just a matter of practicing a bit… and they are so cheap!
On the Baccus Forum we had a lively discussion or debate about the basing of ACW Cavalry.
After reading books about Brandy Station, Trevilian Station and others… I concluded that I needed more variety than the standard 60x30MM base (one brigade) of many stablished popular rules.
I have been very lazy and tardly to show those 6MM Baccus proxies… they have been in the cabinet for months (or weeks)… and they deserved a Post. Probably the less mentioned action of Balaklava!
My collection of 6MM is slowly growing (under control I like to think… lol).
This action has always been a favourite of mine.
The Russians are in fact german cavalry from the Franco-Prussian war… used just to give a sense of perspective!
It was somewhat an ordeal, maybe because I am 71, but the delays due to Postal Services mishaps did not help at all.
I first tried pestering Peter Berry about them (to no use), meaning why not a proper Baccus Crimean range?… wishful thinking of course!
Then I finally (and stubborn in a way) followed the Proxies Way!… that meant eliminating with a cutter the “French” parts of the minis (obvious even in 6MM).
Painting them was fast and true… the minor step of the way… you maybe do not believe how fast it is to paint 6MM!
Gluing them into bases was easy.
Then something I have not done for years… sculpting the bases or stands… an awful mess I did of it. To the credit of the Baccus basing system the old pots where still quite useful (except the wash who had evaporated more than 5 years later).
And finally the sets of colours (Napoleonic in fact).
This is my last effort of DIY in 6MM… my daughter has forbidden me to paint less than 54MM (LOL).
Today the minis all are from BACCUS 6MM… ACW detail… and a Crimean War perspective.
Wargamers in this scale must understand the importance of flags: “They make the Unit”.
I embellished a bit the Rebels…
And an apology is due to Greg (done) because the colour and shade of the horses is as I asked for… the day I opened the parcel my eyes were not true to form (and in a hurry!) and I thought they were all the same shade of colour!
Once this said I still prefer the ACW in 6MM to any other period because the size and the real uniforms go well together… Crimean and Napoleonic Units have an excess of detail very hard to “impressionistically” (pointilisme) translate to 6MM (but I can be wrong you know!… have seen marvelous painting (including faces!) of them in 6MM… it is me who do not seem able to achieve the right compromise!… but I stubbornly go on…
It’s a real fest!… they do not come every day of the week you know… it had been a long wait due to initial hesitation on my part… no clear objectives… lack of suitable proxies (in my head)… and what not!… as it was the parcel had in it The Crimean Heavy Brigade of Cavalry using proxies (1854); a couple of ACW Brigades; and some Colonial Troops (Egyptians and Sudanese for Omdurman) and Gurkhas for the North Wesr Frontier… (the later from Heroic&Ros)… the bulk of it from Baccus.
I started buying painted 6MM Baccus from Greg (Robert Jackson) many years ago… to my everlasting satisfaction!… he is constantly very good on the periods I fancy and even if crossing emails with him is sometimes an exercise of laconism (mainly his) communications are also very good and he understands my needs (sometimes overcomplicated)
You must be a collector/wargamer/old-hand to understand fully the mixed emotions!
So I will give you a bunch of first pics now and a second when flags added to the ACW Rebels (lol) and a touch here and there from my hands and pleasure!
It took me years of painstakingly collecting and even painting some things myself, but more than 90% the work of Robert Jackson (Greg) rgjackson100@gmail.com and Daniel Hodgson did the Ammo Wagons (Reveille chopperboydan@hotmail.com (Daniel did also all the Real State, terrain and Woods)… see ANTIETAM/SHARPSBURG Posts.
Not much to add, there are even engineers in shirtsleeves…
Enjoy!
PS: By the end of the ACW the Union Cavalry alone had more men that the whole Confederate Army… so… better refight 1862-1863
You have recently seen them in action in the ANTIETAM/SHARPSBURG reenactment-wargame (SOLO).
I guess they are a bit difficult to photograph… one do his best believe me!
There you have the Infantry Brigades on the lower centre of the pic (by two different painters of minis), Artillery on the right of the pic, plus Cavalry mounted and dismounted, Division generals and Corps Commanders, and Robert E. Lee. There are also Cavalry fording a river (blue base) and even a stand with foreign observers.
Even if I used painting services, I added painting details here and there, and put the flags myself. At 71 I could not wait to paint them myself… lol
The standard recommended Infantry Brigade in some sets of rules are the two rows of 12 minis with 4 skirmishers in front… I did that or organize them that way until I realized there were a lot of possibilities around and the minis in the stands could add more feeling to the army. So then I did designs of my own mainly understanding that you do not need skirmishers behind earthworks and other circumstances… I hope you can zoom in on the pics. I do include one myself to make the point.
Cavalry is represented “charging” in line, but also in more conservative stances dismounted and in column of squadrons.
Some special stands to cross bridges and pontoons and of course supply wagons.