Inspired by my recent ACW game with Steve and the few units I painted for it, as well as being mindful of my main New Year's resolution for wargaming - To Paint Everything Still To Be Painted Before Buying Any More! - I have been busy painting ACW figures.

I had already stockpiled half a dozen boxes or so over the last several years of Perry 28mm hard plastic miniatures and have been busy making them up and painting them. I am a fan of hard plastic I admit, and they are easy to paint and they remind me so much of the first Airfix plastic figures I had all those decades ago. They are fiddly to stick together though if you have big fingers!

I have adopted a general approach to the uniforms and unit standards by not being specific about each unit by giving them a national flag or a state flag and painting them for late war (1864-65), so not having to be too exact. As a result, the Confederate units are in a range of drab colours and equipment, while the Union are in standard dark blue coats and pale blue trousers.

Here are some pictures of the end products:

Units are all twenty figures, with two officers, a colour bearer, a drummer (mostly) and sixteen riflemen. Bases are 4cm by 4 cm squares.

I did this unit of Confederate Zouaves as a composite regiment, with a variety of uniforms including dark blue, brown and light grey.

Yellow ochre, orange brown, light grey, pale blue, various browns, leather, black, earth, tan yellow, I went for considerable variety in the colours. The standard is the Louisiana state flag.

A nice looking brigade, I think!

I have eight more units to go and I must say I have really enjoyed painting them so far. I think they look alright from a distance anyway! I have two cannons and crew and some cavalry as well. The problem is I am going to need some generals...