"28mm Jersey Boys" Topic

Hi All,
I got my first Union unit finished today for a "Run What Cha' Brung" group project that we're hoping to kick off battling with here in the months ahead. The pictured unit is modeled to be typical of one of the veteran New Jersey regiments that fought at Gettysburg still wearing their frock coats in combat. (all Perry figures with slightly reduced sized GMB flags)
I'm looking forward to painting up more units now, and seeing them on the tabletop "soon"!

Very Nice Work!

Nice work indeed.

Well done!

Great brushwork!

Nice.
But tell me more about the "Run What ‘Cha Brung" thingie.

Guys, thanks for the kudos!
Winston, I'm trying to get guys in the area to "buy into" a group build project here, where if they paint up a unit or two of infantry, they can join to play in one of the scenarios I'll be hosting at our monthly (local hobby shop) game days. It's sort of like sponsoring a multi-player tournament setting, where the guys bring their own stuff, and game with it, while I'll provide a general theme for the day's scenario, and set up the terrain board and moderate the action. The Brits have done this for years in their club settings, and done well in spurring group build projects, but this cooperative concept hasn't fared that well in the US – well, specifically in my local area (where we've always approached the hosting of games where one guy provides everything for "his" presentation).
With this "Run What 'Cha Brung" thing, I'm trying to get local guys to invest in modest unit building (having "flesh" in the game), with the incentive that they can choose their own historical regiments to model them on, and can command these units when they show up on game day. I'm concurrently building up an assortment of "reinforcing troops" – command figures, artillery, sharpshooter units, maybe eventually a battalion of cavalry with dismounts, that I can feed into a scenario on game day to add thematic flavor to the action, or more importantly to balance out the player sides if too many Union or Confederate units show up for the day's mix. Also, I'm hoping we'll draw some public interest from the shop's walk-ins, and I can also use my units as reserves to let anyone who wants to try their hand at 'wargaming' a way to push some figs. on the board.
The games themselves will just be hypothetical skirmishes, but mission-oriented, and/or based on a mission theme – "secure the crossroads", "take and hold the high ground", etc., but with good-looking terrain, and with appropriate density, I think the scenarios should be fun to play – and then after that, I hope the guys will get into the spirit of campaigning their units for successive re-matches. If anything, the hopes are to get the local guys here involved in collecting into a common historical period, and with a modest investment in time and money a way for them to actually play with their stuff in a collective, group gaming concept. Again, the concept here is nothing new, but something I feel could spur some local enthusiasm to get together over a common historical period and group build and gaming effort. My job is coordinating the effort, presenting the unit build "standards", and at least at first – promoting the up-coming monthly games. So far there's about a dozen guys that say their "recruiting" their troops at the moment, and today in fact, before our local, monthly games day, we're having a show-and-tell and extra figures swap meet before the event to promote this ACW project. (this could easily be done for the AWI too – "The Battles in the Neutral Ground" for example). ;)
Btw, thanks for asking – obviously I'm a little enthusiastic (long-winded) about the project too. :)

Some of my first miniature wargaming was done that way.

Everyone had a brigade (ACW), casualties carried over, and whoever showed played with their brigade.

The scenario would be adjusted to reflect the force levels e.g. smaller force had interior lines or position; or was set to defend a wooded ridgeline.

Good luck with this. I'm loath to do much playing without my own forces (feels like I'm just mooching off others' hard work); I'm probably not alone in that; so this is a good way to enable new players to get into gaming quicklywhile reaping the rewards and seeing the result of their own hard work.

What are you using for rules?

Wonderful comments 1234!
For rules we'll be using Muskets & Tomahawks that I've adapted for the ACW, with a 1 to 20 figure ratio, and a 1"= 20 yards ground scale. I created a new deck of activation cards for the Civil War's troop types, and just recently figured out how I could enable infantry units (Regular vet regiments) to deploy into skirmish order from formed and vice versa. Previously I had skirmishing infantry solely using the "Irregulars" (a single action per) card type, like from the stock M&T deck, but to enable forming from line into open order for skirmishing and back, I supplanted two of the single actions for skirmishers, and placed these in tandem on the Regulars cards, to facilitate the changing between these two formation types (I haven't tried this in-game yet, but think it will work fine) –

Filling the skirmish line -

Got a couple mounted officers done today, so here's one as the enemy comes into view – Perry figs, and Sash & Saber (S&S for the skirmishing NCO and bugler).

From across the holler, Rebel sharpshooters rush to their position…..

Finally got the terrain complete for the 'First Battle of Brung Run', so here's a couple peeks, less the troops the buds will be supplying to bring the game to life.

You wouldn't happen to be in N.J.?
Great idea and great photos and figs.
Best of luck to you guys and keep em coming.
Tony

Hi Tony, I'm over here in the Midwest.

The project is maintaining its momentum – and quite a few of the guys followed through and got Brigades built up for it, and by gosh they want to play with them too (it's like having a clientele I've got to keep satisfied now)! ;)

In a weeks time we'll be playing a smaller engagement (with cavalry holding a crossroads while waiting for relief). Here's a look at the mat readied for this scenario -

This started out as a Killing Fields fur mat, which I additionally cut detailing into, and further colorized.

FlyXWire, I would like to talk to you about using some of your pictures:

info@acwgamer.com

Cool! I'll email you.