Greetings from Italy

[Westmarcher]

A warm welcome from me, also    Spent many a holiday (vacation) in the Bay. On one trip to Naples, I visited Solfatara, a mini caldera I believe, full of sulphuric gas outlets. Too close and you would drop dead. At one point the tour guide picked up a large rock and dropped it. It was like standing on a giant drum. Who knows what was (or rather, was not) beneath us. In retrospect, it seems mad to have taken a tour there at all. I also understand NATO HQ is located in a giant caldera. Do you work there and if so, does everyone tip-toe about?    As you know, the area also abounds with history (Pompeii, Herculaneum, etc.). No doubt you've visited Capri - if you haven't already done so, I recommend you leave the tourist crowds behind and walk up to Tiberius's villa - the views are terrific. Anyhoo ...

I get the impression that miniature wargaming in small spaces appears to be becoming a more popular subject these days. Partly recognises that we don't all live in big houses (particularly in Europe). Possibly also because many of us are getting on a bit and standing around leaning over large tables for hours on end ain't so attractive. If you've had a long hard day at work, a comfy chair is also appealing.  (I also suspect that recognising our days are numbered, with so many other historic periods we would like to war-game, us older guys don't want to embark on too large a project, particularly if you are a painfully slow painter like me!  ) Free time is also a factor, so games that take up more than, say, 2 to 3 hours can play havoc with the family's need to use the dining room/kitchen table and our need to finish the game. With small tables and small scales meaning small collections (initially!), this ticks another box as far as storage is concerned. Also, bear in mind you don't have to have massive armies to have a good game. I therefore endorse Paul's (T13A) suggestion to look at Jemima Fawr's solutions (i.e., smaller bases and home-made measuring sticks). A look-in on fellow forumites' blogs (e.g., Norm and SteveJ) may also help with further ideas on 'wargaming in small spaces' (links to their blogs can be found in any of their posts on the forum).

As far as poses are concerned, it's not only aesthetics but sometimes affects the amount of figures you wish to place on a base; marching figures tending to take up slightly less space than dynamically posed ones (the former also tend to be easier to pick up when based without being impaled by a charging bayonet). Rules are also down to personal preference. Don't be surprised if you end up buying a number of rules before you find the right set for you. Surfing the internet for reviews on rule systems is also worthwhile. This gives you a feel for the game itself and the basing systems used. Don't be afraid to adapt any rules to your own preferred basing system - many of us do that. In most rules, the author sets down his own preferred basing method but this does not necessarily rule out other systems. Your ideal base system should help you play as many of your favourite rules as possible. But I recognise you've got to start somewhere so think about the formations you might have to depict in your games. For example, if you want to have the ability to arrange your units in Line, Attack Column, Square (granted, unlikely for ACW) and March Column, I reckon you will need a minimum of 4 bases per unit (I prefer square bases). If you are not too fussed about March Column, you can get by with 2 rectangular bases per unit (simply place a marker beside the unit or leave a space between 2 bases placed one behind the other to depict March Column). Also have a think about how you are going to base your artillery and how much crew you wish to include.  Have fun!

[steve_holmes_11]

Welcome commander.

The hardest part about getting started is the sheer range of options available.
Rules, figure scale/size: which lead on to basing system and figure supplier.

You've had some excellent advice above, so I'll simply rehash a few rules of thumb that I wish I had known when getting started.
* Do you have gamer friends, or friends who are interested in becoming gamers - if so, have a chat with them about preferences and plans - it's fun with more players.
* Ignore any USA Vs UK nonsense you might see on other discussion groups. The hobby had slightly different origins each side of the Atlantic, but players, models, rules and language are close enough to be mutually intelligible.
* Start small - you'll see whether you like it, and can always scale up later. This implies selecting rules that provide a good game with a few units per side, but don't grind to a halt with double that number - come back and ask about this.
* Keep an open mind. One thing often leads to another in this hobby. Before the paint dries on your last butternut Reb, you'll likely have developed an interest in Leading some of George Washington's lads across an icy river.
* Some gamers (Certifiably crazy in my view) also play Navy and Air games. You might take a quick look at American Civil War naval actions (They're usually comfortably small) as something that plays quickly. Ironclads, Monitors, Screw Frigates or the occasional blockade runner mission.

Most of all, have fun.

[Scorpio_Rocks]

Hello Commander - (XCOM flashbacks...)

Welcome aboard and can I add to the voices that recommend 6mm buildings to go with your 10mm troops - ground scale and troop scale very rarely correlate and the smaller footprint means less space needed and better relation to ground scale.

[FierceKitty]

Do have a look at Leven's range of 6mm buildings for the War of Northern Aggression; they're irresistible.

[flyingsuppo]

My first attempt at painting 10mm miniatures.  What do you think? 

[paulr]

 

Those are looking really good

One small observation, if you paint the edges of your flags it removes the sharp contrast with the white paper. Because of the small area of paint the colour match doesn't have to be too close

[mmcv]

Very nice

[Steve J]

Really nice work and I agree with Paul's comments about the edges of the flags.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looking great

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Good stuff but you need to do the bases

[Chris Pringle]

"I never saw a line of rebels that wasn't ragged as a ram's horn ..." (a half-remembered quote from somewhere or other)

Those look like very convincing rebels to me!

Chris

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[flyingsuppo]

Paulr,

Thanks for the suggestion.  I will definitely touch up the flags. 

Thanks,

Drew

[paulr]

Your welcome, I'm looking forward to seeing them with the basing done

[flyingsuppo]

I just ordered some scatter from Leon, so I need to learn how to base these figures.  Any advice?

[sean66]

I just ordered some scatter from Leon, so I need to learn how to base these figures.  Any advice?

I roughen the top of the MDF ( a few scratch marks works well ) i then use watered down PVA glue and paint it onto the base. Then use fine sand (bird sand works well) immerse the base into the sand wait about 30 seconds, take base out and tap on the underside of the base  (while holding it at a 90v degree angle) this will knock off any excess sand off the base. Leave to dry for 24 hours then paint ( i use Dark earth. leave that dry for half an hour then light drybrush of skeleton)
then after another hour use the watered down PVA to paint your areas of grass then put the grass mix onto those area's. then same again for tufts.
Regards
Sean

[flyingsuppo]

Thanks, Sean.  I'll give it a try.

[mmcv]

I roughen the top of the MDF ( a few scratch marks works well ) i then use watered down PVA glue and paint it onto the base. Then use fine sand (bird sand works well) immerse the base into the sand wait about 30 seconds, take base out and tap on the underside of the base  (while holding it at a 90v degree angle) this will knock off any excess sand off the base. Leave to dry for 24 hours then paint ( i use Dark earth. leave that dry for half an hour then light drybrush of skeleton)
then after another hour use the watered down PVA to paint your areas of grass then put the grass mix onto those area's. then same again for tufts.
Regards
Sean

Out of interest, in this system do you stick your figures to the base first, add them during the process, or at the end?

I've been doing a similar system (on advice from others here) of painting the mdf base with thick PVA and paint (slightly watered down but not so much its pouring off the base) then embed the figures in that paint/glue mix, move it about a bit to cover the bases of the figures then sprinkle over sand/flock and let it all dry. Then next day apply a thinned layers of PVA and water to strengthen it and add any grasses or scatter i want. I may sometimes apply a wash or dry brush before adding these, but often find I don't need to if there's enough colour variance in the sand/flock/etc. And it means not having to try and get a paintbrush in between the figures on the base, which is a pain for tighter formations and often ends up with grass stuck to faces!

[sean66]

Out of interest, in this system do you stick your figures to the base first, add them during the process, or at the end?

I've been doing a similar system (on advice from others here) of painting the mdf base with thick PVA and paint (slightly watered down but not so much its pouring off the base) then embed the figures in that paint/glue mix, move it about a bit to cover the bases of the figures then sprinkle over sand/flock and let it all dry. Then next day apply a thinned layers of PVA and water to strengthen it and add any grasses or scatter i want. I may sometimes apply a wash or dry brush before adding these, but often find I don't need to if there's enough colour variance in the sand/flock/etc. And it means not having to try and get a paintbrush in between the figures on the base, which is a pain for tighter formations and often ends up with grass stuck to faces!

I've painted the figure first (paint base of figure same colour as you use for your earth basecoat)then glued figure onto MDF ( i use a craft stanley knife to cut a few lines in the base) (other bases are available). then when figure is solid to the base that's when I start. If you look on my blog below youll see some examples of bases both cut then sand glued onto them.
Regards
Sean

[mmcv]

I've painted the figure first (paint base of figure same colour as you use for your earth basecoat)then glued figure onto MDF ( i use a craft stanley knife to cut a few lines in the base) (other bases are available). then when figure is solid to the base that's when I start. If you look on my blog below youll see some examples of bases both cut then sand glued onto them.
Regards
Sean

Yeah I'd do that for irregulars, cavalry, shallow bases or 20th century where the base density is lower, but closer order or dense larger bases I find it's difficult to apply the PVA after they've been glued down without hitting the figures with blobs of painty glue though!