ACW 10mm NOT 6mm!

[paulr]

Update :

Made my first historical PD purchase and will soon be the proud owner of a Union army 

Well done that man 

[Norm]

For a 'quick' start, I would go for just infantry and artillery and some commanders. Pendraken also do the flags for both sides.

Longer term, if you do add a unit of cavalry, also adding a matching unit of dismounted cavalry is visually helpful.

My unit frontages are infantry on 40mm bases - 2 deep, using two bases with Kallistra hexes or 3 bases in a non-hexed game. The artillery is based on a 30m frontage and I use units of two bases.

Edit - you will also likely need to be thinking of expanding your terrain collection, particularly trees and fencing.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Update :

Made my first historical PD purchase and will soon be the proud owner of a Union army 

You serious? With that many posts? What you been doing Grips!

Seriously, well done.
If I can recommend Coat d'Arms Deadly Nightshade for your dark blue.

[getagrip]

Wow, overwhelmed by the responees, a real help guys

As to paint, I have the entire Vallejo range so would prefer to use them.   Any suggestions for a Vallejo blue Will?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Erm... No
965 Prussian Blue with a highlight of 930 Dark Blue?

[getagrip]

Erm... No
965 Prussian Blue with a highlight of 930 Dark Blue?

Thanks 

[getagrip]

Anyone know what the ratio of Zouaves was to regular troops in "general" sense?

Also, did both sides use them?

Finally, was there role mainly skirmish?

Cheers

[Westmarcher]

[until someone more knowledgeable steps in]

No, but I read that the Union had about 70 regts. and the Rebs, 25.

Yes, but the Rebel regts. soon lost their distinctive uniforms as equipment shortages started to bite.

No. Treat as normal infantry regt.

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/warfare-and-logistics/warfare/regiment.html

P.S. After you've painted your first Zouave regt., you'll probably know how many more you need to paint.   

[getagrip]

Thanks West; they do look a bit of a pain to paint.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Yup

[getagrip]

Yup

Maybe just the one unit of them then. 

Leon, LEEEEEON!  Can I change my order please? 

[cbr3d.com]

I wouldn't have included Zouaves to start with, although I guess they add variety with their appearance to the battlefield.  I guess they also act to draw the attention of an inexperienced opponent, so perhaps use them as cannon fodder to draw your opponents attention away from your clever and devilish plan to make your main attack with other units elsewhere.   

[FierceKitty]

A bit like the scythed chariots in Successor armies.

[Leman]

Wow, overwhelmed by the responees, a real help guys

As to paint, I have the entire Vallejo range so would prefer to use them.   Any suggestions for a Vallejo blue Will?

I paint my ACW Union using Oxford Blue. I really like it for these, and both the French and Prussians in FPW. I find it a much more satisfying rendition of dark blue in 10mm than Dark Prussian Blue.

[getagrip]

I paint my ACW Union using Oxford Blue. I really like it for these, and both the French and Prussians in FPW. I find it a much more satisfying rendition of dark blue in 10mm than Dark Prussian Blue.

Thanks Leman.  Was there a "set" Union blue or was it really just any dark blue they had?

[Leman]

Having read a lot on this topic, the consensus seems to be that government contracts were given to various contractors, all of whom used their own version of dark blue dye, which inevitably faded after a couple of months of campaigning. Paul Stevenson, in his useful little book on wargaming the ACW, states that he uses five different shades of dark blue and three different shades of light blue to paint his Union troops. I have used both Vallejo Pastel Blue and Pale Blue for Union trousers. From looking at re-enactors' trousers I think you could also get away with a light bluish grey. And don't get me started on Confederate grey!

[getagrip]

Having read a lot on this topic, the consensus seems to be that government contracts were given to various contractors, all of whom used their own version of dark blue dye, which inevitably faded after a couple of months of campaigning. Paul Stevenson, in his useful little book on wargaming the ACW, states that he uses five different shades of dark blue and three different shades of light blue to paint his Union troops. I have used both Vallejo Pastel Blue and Pale Blue for Union trousers. From looking at re-enactors' trousers I think you could also get away with a light bluish grey. And don't get me started on Confederate grey!

That's pretty much what I expected; there's no way all of the troops would be in a single shade of blue across several thousand troops.

[cbr3d.com]

Isn't it a case that early on in the war there were some Confederate troops in blue and conversely some Union troops dressed in grey?

[getagrip]

Isn't it a case that early on in the war there were some Confederate troops in blue and conversely some Union troops dressed in grey?

Oh dear Lord, don't make it any harder for me that it already is!

[Ithoriel]

Isn't it a case that early on in the war there were some Confederate troops in blue and conversely some Union troops dressed in grey?

Yes, but I'd have waited until getagrip had a firm handle on the basics before throwing him that curve ball