Because I felt like it

I have been reorganising my photo libraries on Photobucket of late, having realised that things were getting increasingly difficult to locate quickly due to the lazy way I had uploaded pictures in the first instance. For example, I had no library dedicated to my ACW collection; odd that as its always been my real interest in gaming, and in research and writing down the years! Having reorganised this one file I thought I'd celebrate my progress with a little blog post. Its also a post which confronts the reality that nothing I game seems to be 'popular' at the moment if I judge by the paucity of comments beyond a few friends and diehards. Plenty of visits here, and on various Forum Boards I frequent, but very little in the way of feedback or comment. I have at last come to terms with that state of affairs and will continue blogging in my merry way and the fashion followers in our hobby can... well, you get my drift I'm sure. So, some pictures of my ACW collection in action, and in close up too, to encourage others who like me perhaps are not as good a painter/modeller as they aspire to be. First up are two bespoke figures sporting my personal likeness, which heads Matt sculpted for me as gifts. Each is based on a Redoubt Miniatures' body and mounted on a Dixon horse. {As you'll see, if you did n't know already, my ACW collection is almost exclusively Dixon Miniatures.} ~

Useless S Bykleigh



 

 

Jubal E Bykleigh

 

I've realised in sorting out the pictures, and confirmed by sorting through the drawers in GHQ, that I have far too many Generals to ever deploy on the tabletop. My excuse? Well, I enjoy painting them! Here's a selection ~

Joe Johnson

Meagher & Father Corby

Jackson & his Staff

As 'regulars' here will know I'm not a very good painter, though I do try hard, and I'm even less of a modeller! I have over the years though made several scratch building and modifying efforts for my favourite era. A few samples of those now ~

Observation Balloon set

The intrepid aeronaut!

The balloon was picked up in a 'tourist tatt' shop on a day out in Shropshire. The waggon is from the Days Gone By range and the figures from Dixon and Redoubt. With Phil's help I've made several buildings to grace our battlefields over the years ~

Rawnsley Farm and associated out buildings

Fencing of various types ~ by the yard!

I've been painting and collecting my favourite Dixon Miniatures figures almost since they were first available, so both the paints I used and the style I paint in have changed and evolved of course. A few shots of my figures might illustrate that better than many words though ~

The Dixon Miniatures ACW bandsmen ~ I have two bands!

Rebel artillery

From the Irish Brigade

146th New York

Louisiana Tigers

South Carolina's finest

Finally in this piece of blatant self indulgence, my figures in action across the table top battlefield here in GHQ. Phil made the terrain boards, as I'm sure you'll know by now, and the trees and stonewalls are from The Last Valley ~

The Rebs advance!

Union troops on the march

Steady Boys!

Rebel artillery swings into action!

As a postscript: 'General Robinson' perusing the first copy of Bull Run To Gettysburg, my ACW rules published by Wargames Foundry ~

The calm before the storm...

Well, I hope some of you have enjoyed this self indulgence on my part. Now to reorganise the next file...