"Battle of Big Bethel Photo AAR (ACW 10mm)" Topic

Hello all, I have decided to re-boot my ACW game series. My plan is to play through all the scenarios in the Regimental Fire and Fury volume 1 scenarios book. I will also add in the scenarios from the rule book and whatever else I find. To play these games, I will use the Rank and File rule set.

First up is the 1861 battle of Big Bethel. Here's the link to the battle report: link

Thanks for looking
-Bryan

As usual for you Bryan, the game is just beautiful! The AAR was very entertaining, and I especially like the results

Beautiful set up Bryan. I am also planning to do a game from the Rgt F & F book this year. I am hoping to do Elkhorn Tavern. Curious to see how your Rank & File goes vs my Regimental F & F game. Again, lovely stuff as always.

Very nicely presented.

Great stuff as usual! I needed this little inspiration to get me back in the saddle painting again. I'm a fast painter when I paint, it just takes me for ever to just sit down and do it. loved the AAR and thanks for sharing.

Duane

Beautiful minis and terrain and great AAR – thanks for posting

You're killing me. Please stop tempting me to start ACW in 10mm when I already have 15mm! :)

Very nice table, Bryan, and write up! Those stands may be practical to move, but for me, they detract from the overall appearance as being too tall. They look to be about 13-14mm to the top of the head? They look out of place on that wonderful scenery, to me. Just an opinion!

I am happy to see more games being played with 10 mm!

v/r
Tom

Beautiful set up Bryan. I am also planning to do a game from the Rgt F & F book this year. I am hoping to do Elkhorn Tavern. Curious to see how your Rank & File goes vs my Regimental F & F game. Again, lovely stuff as always.

Thanks Bill, yes it would be interesting to compare games. I have Bull Run, Wilsons Creek, and Belmont to do first. I can't guarantee that by the time I get to Pea Ridge that I'll still be using Rank and File. I've gone through quite a few rule sets in the past year. Time will tell.

Great stuff as usual! I needed this little inspiration to get me back in the saddle painting again. I'm a fast painter when I paint, it just takes me for ever to just sit down and do it. loved the AAR and thanks for sharing.

Duane, I hope this post helps get you motivated.

You're killing me. Please stop tempting me to start ACW in 10mm when I already have 15mm! :)

Sorry my friend, I have lots more coming.

"Sorry my friend, I have lots more coming."

Lol
Duane

Bede19025: I sold all my 15mm ACW and reinvested the proceeds in 10mm. It's OK, just give in.

That's a lovely table, Bryan. The terrain is both practical for gaming and aesthetically pleasing, which is a difficult thing to achieve. Like Tom, I'm a dedicated fan of thin bases, but you've done an admirable job of making these blend in to the terrain so that they don't disrupt the visual aspect of the game.

Nicely done!

Jeff

Very nice table, Bryan, and write up! Those stands may be practical to move, but for me, they detract from the overall appearance as being too tall. They look to be about 13-14mm to the top of the head? They look out of place on that wonderful scenery, to me. Just an opinion!
I am happy to see more games being played with 10 mm!

Tom, I tried using thin metal bases on my 15mm ACW armies and I didn't like them. So, when it came time to start this project, I decided to use 3mm bases. I don't think they look to bad. Presently, I'm starting to come back around to using thinner bases. It's too late for this project, but when it comes time to do my AWI or other projects, I will reassess the thickness of the bases that I use. Thanks for the observation.

That's a lovely table, Bryan. The terrain is both practical for gaming and aesthetically pleasing, which is a difficult thing to achieve. Like Tom, I'm a dedicated fan of thin bases, but you've done an admirable job of making these blend in to the terrain so that they don't disrupt the visual aspect of the game.
Nicely done!

Thanks Jeff, I'm always trying to improve my terrain. Next up, I need to figure out how to model a harvested cornfield.

Hi, Bryan. Good question! I would suggest that whatever you decide upon, make them in strips, like you have done so well with the other fields, so you can place stands as they cross. I noticed that the aesthetics of bases that do not lay flat on the terrain does look strange and blows the effort you go thru to make a good looking table.

Since such a field consists of just the stubs, maybe finding a very thin sheet of knitting mesh, cut flush on one side- jagged on the other, might work. That way, the material is thin enough to where you could model the natural undulations in the ground (the rows of stubs should easily conform to the field).

I have never tried to model such, but I think I will try that and see if I can make it "convincing". The key would be to do them as strips within a fenced-in field (or plain groundwork) so they can be removable. Anyone have more ideas?….Would like to try.

I bought a few boxes of wheat and cornfields in "HO" scale from Busch for use with my 15mm figs, but haven't started that project until I know I have a whole day to experiment.

Best
Tom

Great looking set up.

Always nice to read your battle reports

Take care

Anny

Bryan, you table looks very very nice as always! The only thing I would agree with from the others is the thickness of the bases. I use thin metal and they blend into the battlefield nicely, but I also understand that it means you have to pic up the stands by the figures which causes some bending and breakage. It's a toss up and maybe you can do what you said and compromise a little! But great job again, regardless!

Bryan, you table looks very very nice as always! The only thing I would agree with from the others is the thickness of the bases. I use thin metal and they blend into the battlefield nicely, but I also understand that it means you have to pic up the stands by the figures which causes some bending and breakage. It's a toss up and maybe you can do what you said and compromise a little! But great job again, regardless!

Thanks John, I think I'll try painting the edge of the bases green. That should help them blend a little better.

-Bryan

As far as the bases go, I have used a bit of a compromise. I use the thin metal bases, but then I attach a full unit to a strip of magnetic sheet long enough for the entire unit. You can see what I'm talking about here:
link

It is a little thicker than just the metal bases, but the nice thing is you don't really have to pick them up. You can just slide the unit around, and even if you do need to lift it for some reason, you only have to grab once to move the whole unit, you aren't grabbing every stand separately, so it greatly reduces the difficulty in moving the guys around, and they still have pretty thin bases.

They magnetic sheet does stand seem obvious in those photos I linked, but once it is painted green you don't notice it. I just use spraypaint on a bunch at a time, since it is easier than trying to paint the thin edges with a brush. But honestly, I usually don't even bother because during a game, when looking down at an angle instead of straight on, you don't really notice them anyway. Though it is a matter of personal taste, I suppose.

You can see them in action here to see what I mean:
link