Dropped into Gettysburg (15mm Fire and Fury - Second Edition)

Getting back to normal, of sorts. Popping by and catching up with some old friends at their wargame pad as they are refighting Gettysburg in 15mm using Second Edition Fire and Fury. It was good to get out and see some old friends and exchange pleasantries over "deadly and galling musketry" (see below, the Iron Brigade sitting atop a ridge blocking the way to Gettysburg town, while the Confederates mass for a charger):  

Part of the reason for the "waiting" was the massed Confederate artillery on the opposite ridge was waiting to "speak" to the Union Iron Brigade (see below, sitting under a massed artillery battery is one of the more unpleasant aspects of Fire and Fury. The jury was out with respect to the balance of artillery in the game rules, is certainly was "harsh" when three or more guns got together!):   

In this game Buford has a Cavalry brigade in the town of Gettysburg supported by regular line brigades "moving up in support". The town is certainly crammed with "Blue" (see below, Buford is wearing down the Rebels at a ratio of 2+:1 which is proving to be a thorn in General Lee's plans of operation):  

More worrying is the fact that the Union reinforcements have appeared and preparing a counterattack on the Rebels flank (see below, Buford's delaying tactic have worked a treat and there is no place to hide for the Confederates, it is either face massed musketry or face massed artillery and charging Union troops): 

The battle is still on Day One so there is all still to play for!

And it came to pass that "A very BIG box of EPIC scale ACW came from Warlord Games" arrived with a 'thud' on my doorstep!

Yes, I am one of those "happy mad ones" who pre-ordered at Xmas. There was a knock at the door (see below, spare a thought for the Postie - if there were two or more wargamers on his beat or street they were doomed):   

It was then opened (see below, layers of "epic scale" stuff - as it said on the tin over 2,500 figures): 

Both armies albeit looking very similar apart from the colour of the sprue (see below, it also has to be said that figures for General Meade and General Robert E Lee also came in the box):  

Exciting as this was, the "bonus" was the A5 Black Powder Rules Book which means I can justify other Powder Era (Napoleonics, AWI, Malburian, Colonial) 28mm long standing purchases as "waiting for this time"! Ancients and Pike and Shot are still slightly awkward to justify .. but I have "adaptable" rules for those. 

Table Battles Game System - ACW Gettysburg Scenario

Perfect for Zoom wargames, no measuring, a clever combat system, very good for group participation and a narrative or running commentary of events compared to the historical battle, laughter as proceedings develop "not to plan" (see below, a rather abstract configuration of "The Battle for Little Round Top" at Gettysberg): 

Plenty of other scenarios out there too:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/230650/table-battles

Bob Cordery's Review: https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2020/09/new-edition-of-table-top-battles.html

Holiday Painting Project: Confederate Infantry in 20mm (Revell Plastics)

These boys started "their journey" with me in 1992 or thereabouts as a fire damaged (as in the packaging) job lot at as a penny a figure (see below, the "to be completed" flags actually come from teh Revell Union packet but are IMHO are totally "inter-changeable" - one is blue the other is grey!): 

In keeping with the retro feel I used the good old Tamiya paints wherever possible, which almost matched age of the figures, but with a rousing stir [a couple of minutes] they were ready to go as if brand new. Although I had already started some I PVA sealed them all, and washed them with a Vallejo Brown "Dipping Wash" to be at a consistent starting point (see below, note - there are several packs of "same pose" Confederates gathered for this group shot): 

I stared long and hard at the blank flags and plunged in with a Rebel Yell. I plan to do a mass "flock" at the end (see below, I think it makes all the difference): 

A basic unit of play, the flag would denote an "elite" unit in the One Hour Wargame rules (see below, I need to paint up another four infantry, two artillery and two cavalry): 

The plan is that a unit of six stands would be a One Hour Wargame unit .. six of which basically make up an army. Yes, I want to introduce my Padawan to the ACW to see if he is as lucky with a musket as he is with a spear.