Paul´s Bods

Conderate "Bushwackers"   to represent the 18th Virginia Cavalry and the First Virginia Partisan Rangers aka 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry... "McNiell´s Rangers"
More or less the same bods and nags  as with "Jennison's Jayhawkers"  but this lot got a bugler and...

....Manolito from the High Chaparral  set has joined the ranks

And a couple of supply wagons. I had one already,,well, two but one´s used as part of the "Go West !!!"  dio and I haven´t the heart to break it up so again, I´m Gratefull to Mark who sent the wagon Train set along with other bits n´pieces.
Removable Supplies "palette" using the luggage from the Airfix  Wagon Train set
...........

Bits and pieces of Terrain keeping to the Old School  "cheap,cheerfull, robust and quick" idea behind the Project.
The difficulty is trying to not get too involved with the Terrain.. the aim is for a more early wargames days, not quite as sparse or simplistic as just using the lawn * aka H.G.Wells Little wars but also not going for something along the lines of;
"as Close to   realistic as possible, so realistic in fact, that if I was small enough to be able to  skip merrily across this landscape, I´d hear birds tweeting and see badgers....er?...badgering"
..........and it´s all got to fit into a storage box without getting snapped, bent or crushed.

Also, the more "realistic" the longer it will take and as the target is to get this Project finished by the end of march this year,  it´ll do as it is.

Hedgerows.
Made from......

.....An old pan cleaner (the type with the green scrubbing surface) and sections of an old wooden Jointed folding ruler . Being old and  used pan cleaners, they already had weathering added

The ruler cut into lengths the same length (roughly 10cm´s)  as the pan cleaner and then rubbed with sandpaper so the paint will stick.

The scrubbing surface of the The pan cleaner torn off , cut in half, then each half folded and stitched (yes stitched) together. Stitching proved faster than glueing and less messy than a hot glue gun. The bases are simply painted green and the pan scrubber glued on with PVA.

Gates.
Posts made from bits of high density foam, gates from chopped up Coffee stirrers.
Roads.
Peasy. Strips of thin MDF board (from the back of an old cupboard) PVA smeared over the surface, sand drizzled over that and painted dark Brown then a  mid- Brown  drybrush.
Rivers.
Again, thin MDF, Banks made with a mix of  sand/wallfiller and PVA glue . "Water" painted with first matt mid blue and then, to get a bit of a shine,  a mix of blue/green window paint with a smudge of Brown added.
Bridge
Base the same as the roads and rivers. The sides of the Bridge high density foam and the road surface from thick Card.
Quick test set up of the roads, Bridge and a couple of river pieces. Yep, Looks fine to me :-) So I´ll Need a couple more short sections of road and river and that´s sorted.
A couple of hours work and a cost of a couple of euros.

* I used to get a lot of complaints from Mater for digging earthworks in the flower beds or worse,  Setting fire to  Palisade  forts/houses made from lolly sticks and twigs  that were built in the middle of the jungle..er?..Forest..er?.. lawn.


Oh...and as I´m loosing track of which and whose Blogs I´m following, I´ve started work on sorting the blog rolls into categories;
Ones with mainly 1/72nd/20mm Content
Ones with mainly 28mm Content
And others...mixed Content, historical only, busts, 54mm etc until I get around to Setting up other blog rolls.
It´s a lot of work..more than I reckoned upon. Swopping the Blogs about means opening a couple of Windows at one time, swopping between them, adding and deleting as I go along. Deleting is the worst part. Trying to find a blog among the others on a list is a pain..you can´t put them into alphabetical order!! If your blog isn´t already under it´s blog roll heading (or in the wrong one)..don´t worry, I´ll get around to it eventually..or tell me

Usual head swops, Sabres and sheaths added using Staples.

The  4 confederate regiments aimed for are now  finished. Is 80 really enough ?
The 3rd Texas Infantry
The 28th Regiment, North Carolina
20th Reg. Texas Volunteers. The officer got a head swop.
3rd South Virginians
The flag of the 3rd South Virginians came  with a Batch of  unpainted Confederates (thanks Dean :-)) and was already painted and I didn´t have the heart to replace it.

..and, Thanks to Mark I´ve finally been able to add two more limbers to the Project so every gun has it´s own limber.
Along with the stuff that Mark sent there were a couple of broken limbers, the towing bars were broken off (plastic rot) but seeing as I already had a couple of broken ones without wheels it gave me the chance of adding a couple of cassions to the Project.

I don´t really Need to add cassions but maybe at some Point I can add rules for re-supplying the guns.
An Airfix mag article (PDF´s of which were Kindly sent to me by Charles) Shows how to make the cassions and seeing as the articles are from the late 60´s they definately Count as "old School"
In the article it suggests using Balsa Wood to make them but it was quicker to use the spare ammo boxes and trim down the  bases
A Piece of Card added at the back and a cut down toothpick to hold the spare wheel. The axle was replaced (one side broke off...plastic rot) with a toothpick. Although I could have, I didn´t add footboards.
I decided not to add nags. There was only the possibility, without a lot more work adding a scratch made trail, to add two so I clipped the trail down and added a loop

At the Moment the cassions are seperate  but if at some Point ( I won´t stress if I don´t find any) I get hold of two more limbers I´ll base them together as a permanent set up.

2 lots of CSA Infantry (40 in total) finished and based. Another 40 are nearing completion.
Based according the the base sizes in the Airfix American Civil War Wargaming book, 25mm x 20mm for 4 bods per base.
Planned is at least 4 "regiments" per side but more could be added depending on supply of bods and me Holding interest and not getting sidelined into some other Project
One bod is from the Airfix Wagon Train set.
The flags...
At the back, The 3rd Texas Infantry
At the front, The 28th Regiment, North Carolina

I´m still in two minds as to wether I should spray the whole lot with gloss or leave them matt...

A couple of Hills made from plasterboard offcuts..heavy, durable..and cheap.
Basic shapes cut out, the edges cleaned up a bit  using a fine toothed woodsaw  then glued together with PVA.
Painted with cheap wall paint

"Little house on the hill"

Some additions to the artillery..conversions using bods from the Airfix Waterloo British Artillery set.
Easy..remove the frilly bits on the jackets, replace the heads, paint and base.
I liked the look of the Sabres so I left them on.
Union.
The one moving the wheels ended up a bit defunct due to the basing.
Confederate
I know, White belts? Since I started this project I´ve found out a wee bit more about ACW uniforms etc but the White belts will remain. Anyway, they probably wouldn´t be carrying sabres, especially if they are servicing the gun. Historical accuracy? Pah I say :-)
A total of six guns and Now I´m looking for a couple more Limbers...although, a Little bird has told me, some may be on the way :-)

Slowly it´s coming together. The Artillery finished....well, sort of.  I´ve got a couple more guns and Crews  so if I get some more limbers I´ll add some more to both batteries...3 per side Sounds like a good number.
The Gun Teams.
Bases for the Guns, 5cm´s per side. The individual bods, 12.5mm x 10mm
The nag for the commander for the Union Team is from the Airfix Foreign Legion set (1st issue) 
The Limbers.
One of the CSA Limbers has had a bod from the Airfix Wagon Train set  added.
EDIT....I´ve got an idea to "recruit" some other gunners from the Airfix range so I might as well add at least one more gun per side, irrespective of wether I can obtain more limbers.

32 in total, 16 for the Union and 16 for the Confederacy.
Based on 2mm MDF board.
The Union Bods.
I kept one of the Standard bearers with the original flag..I didn´t have the heart to remove it.

Basing sizes,  according to the  Airfix American Civil War Wargaming book.

Infantry - single basing.  Frontage of 12.5mm with a 10mm depth. I´m basing them in pairs so a base will be 2.5cm´s wide with a 2cm depth.
Basically, appart from the artillery,  this is about all the basing advice the book gives so I´ve used the  12.5mm x 10mm as a Basis and "scaled it up" for the other arms.
Cavalry - 2 mounted bods per base =  width 5cm´s and depth 4 cm´s.
Individual mounted - Generals etc =  2.5cm´s by 4cm´s
Individual foot - Gunners etc = as per the Suggestion in the book, 12.5mm by 10mm
Artillery - A triangle with all 3 sides 5cm´s. The Limbers I´ve based at 4cm´s by 10cm´s.

Some of the bods were missing thier Sabres/sheaths so I replaced them with staples*. This was easier than I first thought. Luckily I recently  found a staple Cartridge (Here) which has  all the staples unformed, ie; not in the classic "U" shape but flat.
A Sabres I made a hole in the Hand with a pin and pushed the staple in, then cut it to length.
For the sheaths, I cut a staple to the correct length, heated it over a candle flame (Holding with a pair of tweezers) and simply "welded" it to the side of the bod.

*Using staples was mentioned in the "Bods and Generals" post.   There´s 5000 staples in the Cartridge so it will last a while

Here´s hoping 2017 is a less hectic across the world than 2016....
A bit of a Review of  production in 2016
Approximately  360 bods, 124 nags (with and without Mounted bods) and 9 carts.
                                                                                           
12 bods   woodland Indians Tecumseh                                                      
6 bods Hussite Camp 1  - Footfolk/workers (Pt 1)                                     
8 bods Hussite Camp 2 - Footfolk/ workers (Pt 2)                                        
6 bods and 8 nags    Hussite Camp 3 - Medieval horse Care                                    
1 bod, 2 wagons and 8 nags    - Hussite Camp 4 - Wagons                            
6  seated Knights                                                                                             
12 American Militia in Winter Dress 1812                                                    
3 bods and a cart - Medieval Camp followers - Finished                               
10 bods and 10 nags - European Mounted Men-at-Arms                               
12 bods and 12 nags - airfix US Cavalry -                                                   
4 riderless wargs                                                                                         
Airfix CSA Cavalry                                                                                    
1 bod and 7 mounted -  Crested Knights                                                     
5 bods, 2 wagons, 3 mules, a cow and a Bullock                                        
40 bods -  Medieval builders                                                                          
4 bods and 5 nags,- Mounted Teutonic Knights Command                         
4 bods - Goosey Goosey Gander                                                                
1 bod and six nags - Teutonic Knights Pt2                                                     
2 bods and six nags   - Teutonic Knights Pt3                                               
9 bods, 2 nags - Bannockburn                                                                     
18 bods, 2 nags and 2 mules - Teutonic infanty on the march                    
5 carts and 10 nags - Wagons for Bodstonia                                                 
26 orcs                                                                                                              
Teutonics restart       1 bod     2 nags                                                           
Norman Army Camp   27 bods    6 nags                                                         
Medieval guards on Duty    17 Bods                                             
Medieval guards resting     14 bods                                                                 
Medieval Alarm                13 bods                                                                  
Airfix Tarzan                    8 Bods                                                                    
60 airfix ACW bods, 32 Airfix ACW Cavalry, 3 guns, Crews  and limbers

Other Bits and Bobs
Fort Sahara to monastery conversion
Roman Villa MK2
24 Beehives and 3 stands
StuH 42
Camping acessories and tents
3 ACW scratchbuilt houses
Airfix "What If"

What was planned for 2016 and what didn´t happen? Well, 4 of the 10 planned Projects actually got done but work  on the 1329 Teutonic dio took precedent and then the Airfix ACW wargame Project popped up....
Roman Villa
Finish the last 6 Seated Knights
Paint up a Hussite camp
Finish the Medieval / Bodstonian town (another 10 or so buildings)
Base the Medieval / BodstonianVillage
Build a 17th Cent Meeting house /Fort
Paint every pose of the Airfix Afrika Korps set...the Tarzan set was Chosen instead
Paint the Strelets Tecumseh set
Scratchbuild a "Medicus" wagon
and a couple of Weird and wonderfull scratchbuilds,

Plans for this year?
Continue work on both 1329 Teutonic dio and  the Airfix ACW wargame Project.
Wargame the ACW bods using the rules (with possible mild adaptions) from the Terry Wise book. ..this should actually happen.
Re-Boot Bodstonia. Those  Bodstonians have been getting on without me so it´s about time I had a look at what they are up to.


That will do for 2017 plans, As always, I´ll probably get side tracked into some other stuff as well.

...after the 2nd WW, everyone had  signed up to genuine real and Lasting peace on earth? Not a cessation of hostilities for a short period while each and every side vied for new angles on causing friction in order to fill up the arms order books but a genuine   realisation we have the same Basic wants, needs, loves and fears and  work towards a bright future for humankind and the planet.
As part of this permanent peace, there would be no need for weapons, no tanks, no guns and  no need for war planes.
The swords would have to be made into ploughshares..or in this case, Spitfires into racing cars.
Wheels -  from a bashed up Siku post lorry
Axles - bits of  sprue from the original Airfix Spitfire kit
Suspension -  Florist wire wrapped around Pins
Headlights - two Pins with the bead type head, 1/3rd sliced off.
I left the wingstubs on as they make nice runningboards
The Inspiration for the  idea Comes from a Toy racing car from my collection..a Mercedes-Benz Racing Car (Dinky Toys 23c)  ....which is celebrating its 66th  birthday this year. It could be slightly older as They (Meccano LTD-Dinky) started making them in 1946, so just after  WWII  ;-)

A round up of recent  bits and pieces.

Union General
He has appeared in a previous post but now he´s got a Standard bearer alongside him. The bod is from the Artillery set, sabre sheath added by welding a staple to his side.
The flag...I haven´t a clue whose or what Regiment it is...Looks ok to me though :-)


Confederate General.
Top half from the Confederate infantry set, bottom half from the US cavalry set. His Standard bearer is also from the Artillery set.
As for the flag, it´s one I came across whilst looking for possible HQ flags,  General Robert E. Lee´s HQ Flag*

Pipers.
Both of them are from the  Airfix Guards Band set with head swops and staples added as Sabres.
They´ll get based as soon as I work out wether to have them as part of a Regiment or as add ons to a marching column.

Union officer.
Converted from the Airfix Cowboys set. Staples for sabre and sheath.

Artillery Flags
I´m not sure how or often the ACW artillery   used battle flags, wether they were carried near the battery, flown when they were on the march or to Signal a central Point like the HQ.
Anyways, I found a couple so it seemed a waste to not have them.
The CSA one I´m not sure about. It seems a bit too Long in comparison to it´s height..or have I made a mistake of using the reverse and front sides as one ?