My experiences with ACW

[lekw]

I decided to try and put a summer project together and hoped that chronicling it on my blog would help me stay focused. In case anyone is interested my efforts with 10mm ACW are on the blog.

http://myblog-lekw.blogspot.com/

[Techno]

Good stuff, L.

Cheers - Phil

[petercooman]

Good post!

The way i painted my confederates, is the system you mention. one pose per painting stick, and then just go by the line. every First mini gets brown trousers, every second mini gets grey trousers, every third mini gets light brown vest etc...

This works really well, and you actually don't feel like you are working in chaos! Then i do the same for hats and rolls, and make sure that all rolls, hats and anything else are not the same colour on the same miniature. For example if the guy has dark brown trousers, i give him a light brown  hat and a beige roll. then on the next painting stick the guy with the brown trousers gets a beige hat and a light brown roll. This helps to keep the models somewhat colourfull with all that brown and grey.

[Leman]

Well, not wishing to pour rain on the parade, there does seem to be emerging from the US the results of a lot of study into the appearance of the Confederate armies, and it would seem that, post-1862, that appearance was not necessarily rag-tag. Most units were reasonably well uniformed, especially with jackets. Many grey jackets that are still in existence have faded over the years to a tan colour. However, dyes were not colourfast in those days and many jackets and trousers would have faded on campaign. Hats were predominantly black, many imported from Britain. Trousers were likely to be more varied, but light blue was discouraged owing to friendly fire incidents. Blanket rolls would also vary, but many soldiers used captured black waterproofs to protect their rolls. Similarly the white haversacks of the early war were frequently replaced by black, waterproof captured items.It is often quoted how the Union soldiers remarked on the improved appearance of the Confederates at Gettysburg compared with Antietam the previous year. I would highly recommend the ezine, ACW Gamer, which contains a great deal of info to help gamers produce authentic looking troops.

[lekw]

Petercooman thanks for the suggestions!!! I like the system idea and am going to use it on the next batch I paint. If you don't mind I think I will use the exact one you outlined in your post  .

Leman, I have been thinking about this exact issue, that is if the confederates were more uniform as time went on. There appears to be a good deal a debate about this point from the discussions I see online. I think you make a good point. What I was planing to do was get the mixed look I was going for in the first bunch and then go for less rag-tag look with some of the figures I paint later. I hope this would give me a nice mix. I am aiming roughly at Gettysburg as an example battle but we will see. Perhaps if I can get a lot of these little guys painted I will have to change proportions and go for more uniform troops. Thanks again!!!

[Leman]

Well, as I stated before, you could always go for the Antietam 1862 look with less uniformity and a lot more butternut and homespun while the central supply depots were still gearing up. Some of those North Carolina units must have looked pretty smart though. Come the end of the war in 1865 NC still had thousands of unissued uniforms.

[Aksu]

Good info, thanks chaps. I still have a decent sized pile of unpainted ACW lead and this is very useful.
Cheers,
Aksu

[petercooman]

Petercooman thanks for the suggestions!!! I like the system idea and am going to use it on the next batch I paint. If you don't mind I think I will use the exact one you outlined in your post  .

Please do and shw us some pics when you are done! 

Here's how the army looks when done in this method:

[Leman]

Fantastic looking Army of Tennessee. I can imagine those scrapping away at Kennesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and the like.

[Westmarcher]

I decided to try and put a summer project together and hoped that chronicling it on my blog would help me stay focused. In case anyone is interested my efforts with 10mm ACW are on the blog.

http://myblog-lekw.blogspot.com/

Regarding the photo on your blog of the Vallejo paints you use, I also have Sky Blue and Deep Sky Blue but found these disappointing. Instead, I recommend you try Vallejo Grey Blue - in my opinion, a much more authentic shade of blue for trousers in the ACW. And when you get round to your Union troops, try using Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue. 

What are the Vallejo flesh colours shown? I am not happy with the Flat Flesh, Basic Skin Tone and Light Flesh colours that I am currently using. In the photo, I can make out that one is Dark Flesh but not the other.

[Leman]

Could it be Sunny Skin Tone. This is now my go to Vallejo flesh colour.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Coa d'arms flesh for me

[Subedai]

Could it be Sunny Skin Tone. This is now my go to Vallejo flesh colour.

Seconded

Had some Coat d'arms colours a while back and found the lids too finicky for brush filling -they kept closing- and the colours weren't all that spectacular. Now I'm a complete Vallejo convert.

MickS

[petercooman]

I use elf flesh with a burnt umber wash. Looks OK;

[nikharwood]

Very nice