The English and American Civil Wars and Beyond

Not quite finished but getting there. These are the three Union monitors that will provide opposition to the Confederates. I need to add a few fittings for detail but the design is such that that there is not a great deal one can add! 

 I am pleased to report that my modest list of disposals (at least at this stage) has continued to meet with a degree of success and so I have been able to order everything I need to complete the 28mm ECW WoFun project. Many thanks to those readers that took a fancy to come of the bits and pieces - it is much appreciated.

In many ways this is a project that is completely at variance with how I would usually do things - I tend to acquire books and rules at the outset - so having two large and gaming ready armies at the beginning is a pleasant change! It has thrown up a rather delicious dilemma though.

Many years ago, when I was first seriously looking at the ECW as a gaming period I read a biography - I cannot remember who it was by - of Montrose and of his campaigns. I rather liked the idea of salvo firing Irishmen and charging highlanders but I never got around to taking it any further. Fast forward to now and WoFun have a selection of models covering the Scottish campaigns  - Covenanters, Highlanders, Irish and cavalry within the ECW range. It would not take a lot to add these in to the existing set up but I am unsure if this would be the right thing to do.

I am committed to adding to my Wofun collection (at least for those periods that use Peter Dennis for the artwork) but my current thinking is to look at something different. I would like something either ancient or horse and musket and if it is to be of a similar size to the ECW set up it will require being properly resourced in terms of finance and the associated background material.

My thinking at present is looking at a particular period but with a twist. Currently available is a range for the ‘45 and also for the War of the Spanish Succession. I am seriously considering a set up for the latter but with selected elements from the ‘45 range so as to cover the ‘15 (and the ‘19) if required. This would certainly maximise the use of the armies and I already have some good background material on the earlier Jacobite wars. In a way this has highlighted my reservations about adding the Scottish element to the ECW collection. How many armies featuring charging highlanders can one person field? It is all very much in the ‘thinking about’ rather than the planning stage and would not feature until next year in any event. I may even revisit the potential of the Scottish part of the Civil War but for now it needs to be put to one side.

In other news the ACW ironclads are moving to their final stages. The build has taken slightly longer than I anticipated, mainly due to some domestic duties but also because I have needed to relearn some old construction tricks as well as developing some new ones! It is all coming together though and so the plan to get a game in with the collection is still very much on the cards for sooner rather than later. I will be finishing all 6 models and the ‘grand opening’ so to speak will be in action in a game setting. I am really keen to get my Hammerin’ Iron mat out and so that will provide the scenic backdrop.