"How to get started in ACW?" Topic

I have a nephew who has developed an interest in the ACW. Now, I can't provide or buy complete Union and Confederate armies so what's a easier way to ease into gaming the ACW?

How old is he?

1/72 plastics are going to be the best bang for your buck.

Right now, eBay has several hardback copies of "Battle Maps of the Civil War (American Heritage)" for $10 USD or less. Long hours absorbing every detail of these wonderful hand-drawn battle maps, which basically are miniatures wargames illustrations, was my gateway into a lifetime interest in the ACW (as it was for countless other TMPers as well).

Then yep, a couple of boxes of 1/72 plastics and a simple set of rules (there are lots), and you've got your hook well set.

My first foray into ACW was with Avalon Hill's Gettysburg (with squares). We played that a lot when we were young. I think its in the public domain now. While its a board game, it got me interested in miniatures games.

I was going to recommend Battle Cry by Richard Borg until I saw the prices for it!

Agree with battleground if you can find it. It was one of the first in the Command and Colors series by Borg.
Miniatures direction would easy to do. Several rules sets are on line.se

BattleCry. You can pick up copies of the 1st edition for a reasonable price here:

link

If you want a miniatures game, paper flats are cheap:

link

Pre-painted flats from Wofun:

link

Great question

In addition to the above if you want paper soldiers free is even cheaper (well, you do have to print them)

juniorgeneral.org

There are a lot of fairly inexpensive plastic 1/72 scale as well

link

I would go with board games at first. No painting and no terrain. Saves you money in the long run. Then later maybe miniatures. If your determine to do miniatures right off the bat I would go with 15mm. Check out YouTube for beginner tips. Also plenty of board game reviews on YouTube.

link

Eagle Games ACW 1/72nd scale figures, set includes cavalry, infantry, and artillery, horses sold separately.

$1 USD per set 32 infantry and cannons. Horses are cheap too. Not many poses but a great starter set.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek

Watch Ken Burns.

I hate auto correct. Battleground should have said Battle Cry.

6mm and Valour & Fortitude rules

Adding/reinforcing to the advice above…

To maintain interest:

– Watch Ken Burns' television series
– Read a general history of the war. I liked James McPherson's "Battle Cry to Freedom".

If he wants to game but does not want to spend time and money painting and basing figures

– Battle Cry (2nd-hand copy of 1st edition)
– Boardgames (either strategic level that cover the entire war or a lower level that covers specific battles or campaigns)
– Paper flats from junior general

If he wants to game and wants to have his own army of painted figures, your statement that you cannot buy or provide an army suggests that you consider this is not feasible. Nevertheless, I am going to give it a try…

You use the phrase "complete" Union and Confederate" armies as if to imply you must have a minimum number of figures on your army.

The rules you use and the level at which you intend to play determine the minimum for a "complete" army.

Regarding rules, Longstreet by Sam Mustafa has a Grand Campaign system where the "minimum" for either army is never more than 54 stands. Of course, the army can be larger than that, but in effect it means 100 stands (for example 70 infantry, 22 cavalry, 8 artillery) is enough for a "complete" army to play the Grand Campaign.

Regarding level, when I painted my first ACW armies (in 6mm but based on stands for 15mm figures) I used Fire and Fury 1st edition (brigade-level). Instead of fighting whole battles, I would use conversions from regimental-level scenarios that covered part of a battle, or play part of the battle so that the stand requirement was low. For example, instead of the full Stones River game in Fire and Fury's "Great Western Battles" scenario book, I ran just the initial morning attack on McCook's corps with the game ending after 8 turns. This reduced the stand requirement to around 100 on each side (and reduced the playing area to a 6' x 4' table which was the space available).

My point is that a "complete" army can be small and you should not assume you need a large number of figures to play a reasonable game.

If you aim for 3 infantry figures , 1 gun, 2 cavalry figures per stand (as suggested by the Fire & Fury rules), the 100 stand army mentioned above translates to c.200 infantry, 44 cavalry and 8 artillery. Old Glory's 10mm range sells infantry in packs of 100 infantry figures, 30 cavalry, 12 guns.

You could do similar calculations with 1/72 scale and 6mm.

Have you ever noticed that in all these types of threads that the OP rarely ever returns to them?

I like a lot of the suggestions here – and I think the plastic 1/72nd is a really good way to get into the ACW. There are so many sets (not just the old Airfix ones, although I still like these!).

Scroll through here: link and it is impressive what can be purchased relatively cheaply.

For rules – I'd go for something simple and pretty fast – Rolling Thunder from Parkfield Miniatures (I'm not sure if they are still in print) has a nice battalion-level scale and runs to 18 pages (4 of which describe a couple of scenarios). And it can be played with a few dozen figures so is an easy way in…more detail could come later if it is wanted. Go for something as simple/fast as this so that starting doesn't require the reading of a tome or a detailed knowledge of the ACW to agree it makes sense.

"I have returned!" (for Mister Tibbles). I forgot about Battle Cry. That would work wonderfully for a start. Then if his interest continues, I can consider moving up to a full-fledged miniatures game. Thanks.