Saturday 14 February 2015

From TamsinP - 6mm ACW Union Cavalry (83 Points)

It's just as well my race with the Dux is over - I've been sick the past few days which has made painting a touch difficult.

After the past 2 weeks of excessiveness, I was taking things a little easier this week. And so, I present my 15th entry of this Challenge - some more little blue blobs; this time with little brown blobs *lol*




I am still somewhat puzzled by the composition of the Baccus cavalry packs. The mounted are supplied as 3 strips of 3 to do a regiment; the dismounted are supplied at a ratio of two horse-holder strips (1 man, 3 horses) to 3 strips of 4 dismounted cavalry. The numbers don't add up. As I am basing my cavalry and infantry on 60x60 mm bases they would have looked rather sparse with 9 mounted cavalry or 7 dismounted cavalry, so I decided to go with 14 on each base. That left me with 7 figures over - I chose to remove the excess as officers, guidons and one bugler. These I have mounted singly for use as markers for command points or some-such.






The dismounted cavalry:







You see what happens when you switch to 6mm scale? Both regiments have lost over half their horses!

And their not-yet-dismounted comrades (with some close-ups! - the horror!):















As a detailed inspection will reveal, some of the figures managed to jump in the way of the dry-brush so will need attention later on.

Let's tot up the points:
63 mounted = 63 points
28 foot and 12 horses = 20 points
Total = 83 points

Like I said earlier, just as well the race with Dux is over!


Before I leave you, I have previously posted pics of my paintbench. However, here's another showing it as it is right now:



New toys! Well, the airbrush and compressor were bought around June last year, but haven't been used yet. The portable spray booth is new though. It does come with a flexible extract hose, but as I'm not using anything solvent-based, I should be OK to use it without.

I'll be having a play with these tonight to get used to the brush and try out some camo schemes. It's a cheapo single-action and 3-speed compressor, so probably only good for priming, base coats and rough details.

The small Really Useful Box to the left of the booth has my collection of Model Air paints and various bottles of Vallejo surface primer.


From Curt:

Wonderful work Tamsin. Again, your paintwork is distinct and clean, and so not making these nondescript blobs at all. My favourites are the dismounted cavalry vignettes with the horseholders at the rear of the base. I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but what rules  system are you using with these?

I hope you start feeling better soon!


17 comments:

  1. @ Curt - thanks! Perhaps not as neat as I could be, but it's difficult to see the "less than 0.5mm" discrepancies until I do close-ups with the camera :O
    I'll probably be using these for Polemos although open to suggestions of other sets where this style of basing can be used.

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  2. Your work rate never ceases to amaze me, I wish I had that much energy and enthusiasm. It is really nice to see some more 6mm ACW it looks top notch.

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  3. Great stuff Tamsin

    My eyes are too old for 6mm but I do like the look of the figures drawn up en masse in this scale. As for the touch ups, I can't see that any are needed. I suggest the 2 foot rule - if it's not apparent from that distance it will be fine on table.
    Cheers
    PD

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  4. Nice job on these tiny troopers! Basing is really the way to get 6mm to look great and you've done a great job with that!

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  5. Great looking mini's - I'm amazed at the detail you can get on such tiny figures - the 6mm stuff I've done is no match for yours

    I like how the cavalry bases have different formation types - very creative

    Feel better!

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  6. Great units, great basing, great formations and great painting. Feel the need for another great so... Great

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  7. Lovely job...and new gadgets too!

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  8. Really cool and once again I love the dynamic basing

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  9. That's a whole lot of little dudes Tamsin. Well done!

    Let us know how it goes with the airbrush. That's something I'm afraid to even attempt.

    Hope you get to feeling better.

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  10. Great work here Tamsin. I am really starting to appreciate the potential of this scale.

    Cheers, Ross

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  11. Great work Tamsin, I like the way you've based the cavalry.

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  12. Pin's, all they are are pins LOL

    Love them, like the two sized bases as well

    Ian

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  13. @ Clint - if only my gaming rate was as high! But that is largely for after the Challenge :)

    @ Peter D - thanks! There are a few horse legs and tails where the drybrushing caught them, but there's no immediate rush to touch those up :)

    @ Juan - thank you! :)

    @ Samuli - cheers! For 6mm, good basing can really enhance the figures.

    @ Miles - thanks! If you think the detail I go to on 6mm figures is crazy, you should see what some other folks do - I've even seen someone painting the buttons on the sides of Nappy cavalry breeches ;)

    @ Martin C - well, what can I say to so many greats? :)

    @ Dave - ta! New gadgets are always good :)

    @ Paul - thanks! Using 60x60 basing with more figures does allow you to play with varying the formations :)

    @ Anne - it's not that many little dudes ;)
    I won't be using the airbrush for detail work; at least not this one - the needle is far too large for that and the compressor too weak.

    @ Ross - thanks! 6mm does look good for big battles - so many more troops on the table compared to 15mm or 28mm :)

    @ Peter - cheers! I'm glad you like how they're based - adding some variation to the formations gives a great look to them I think :)

    @ Ian - *smack* *grin*
    Two sized bases? Do you mean 60x60 rather than 60x30? If so, I went with that to mirror the infantry.

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  14. Very nice work! Really gives nice impression of formations etc.

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  15. Nice work, Bitter Rival :). Get well soon!

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